Videos from the event showed dozens of boats out on the lake
Five boats sank Saturday during a Trump boat parade on Lake Travis in central Texas, according to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO).
The parade began around 12:00 p.m. and “[a]lmost immediately upon the parade going into motion, TCSO began receiving distress calls from boaters,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement released on Sunday. The sheriff’s office responded to 15 calls in total—the first of which was at 12:15 p.m. and the last of which was at 1:52 p.m.—and also learned of three more boats in distress from a local towing company, the statement said.
“The distress calls varied and included: boats taking on water, stalled engines, capsized boats and boats sinking,” the statement continued.
Of the five boats that sank, three were towed out of the lake and two remain submerged as of Sunday, the sheriff’s office said.
“Most boats that were taking on water, or even fully submerged, were able to be hooked up and towed before they sank to the bottom of the lake,” the sheriff’s office continued. No injuries have been reported.
The incident does not appear to have been caused by any weather conditions. “When the large number of boats began moving together, the wakes generated large waves in areas where participating boats were dense,” the sheriff’s office said.
[time-brightcove not-tgx=”true”]Photojournalist Bob Daemmrich captured photos of some boats struggling to stay above rough waters during the event.
About 2,600 people signed up to attend the event, according to a Facebook page for “Lake Travis Trump Boat Parade.” Videos from the event showed dozens of boats out on the lake.
President Donald Trump has frequently affirmed his love for boaters who support him. Trump boat parades have occurred in multiple states, including Florida, South Carolina and California.