The 16-meter (52-foot) houseboat had been carrying 23 people at overcapacity when an apparent waterspout struck nearby, causing it to capsize on Sunday evening, CNN affiliate Sky Tg24 reported.
Some of the party managed to swim ashore and others were rescued by nearby boats, according Sky Tg24, adding that, although five were taken to the hospital, none of the survivors sustained any serious injuries.
There were 13 Israeli and 8 Italian passengers on board at the time the boat sank, while the victims were two men and two women.
Italian authorities are seen inspecting the tourist boat that capsized and sank on Lake Maggiore.
Passengers had been reportedly celebrating a birthday party when the boat, traveling between the Italian towns of Lisanza and Dormelletto, capsized, according to Sky Tg24.
Persons:
Barnobi, Claudio Alonzi, Erez Shimoni, Anna Bozhkova, Shutterstock, ”, Shimoni
Organizations:
CNN, Sky, Authorities, Passengers
Locations:
Italy’s Lake Maggiore, overcapacity, Lake Maggiore, Puricelli, Israel, Maggiore, Italy, Switzerland, Lisanza