Ethan Allen Boating Accident - Accident and Initial Speculation

Accident and Initial Speculation

The boat was carrying a tourist group, the Trenton Travelers, based out of Trenton, Michigan. The group included senior citizens from Michigan and Ohio. They were on an hour-long fall foliage tour on the lake.

When the boat capsized, the injured people were sent to Glens Falls Hospital by ambulances from Lake George and the nearby towns of Hague, Warrensburg, Moreau. North Warren EMS, which incorporates the towns of Horicon and Chester, assisted in the effort. The Water Rescue Team, a part of the Horicon VFD was also called to the scene.

Speculation about the cause of the capsize originally centered on the sizable wake of a much larger cruise ship, the Lake George Steamboat Company's Mohican, which traverses Lake George daily. However, no evidence emerged to support this theory. On the contrary, tourists at a nearby camp reported that the Mohican did not pass the area of the lake where the Ethan Allen sank until 20 minutes after the fact.

There were multiple reports by people near and around the lake of several other boats being in the vicinity. Reports from some people at local campsites claim that a speed boat had passed by, while others claim the lake was calm. Warren County Police did not confirm whether or not there were other boats around the Ethan Allen.

Weather was also not a factor in this accident, as the skies were blue and the wind was calm. The 20 victims are believed to have died from drowning, not hypothermia, as the water in the lake was 68 degrees Fahrenheit.