Men Cling To Cooler, Seat Cushion After Boat Sinks In Lake Tahoe

LAKE TAHOE (CBS13) — A firefighter who helped pull four men clinging to a seat cushion and a cooler in Lake Tahoe after their boat sank says finding them was a miracle.

"It was pretty eerie when we came out and we were boarding our vessel to head out for them and we could hear the faint cries for help," Tahoe Douglas Fire District firefighter Pauk Apple said.

It was midnight. The men were three miles from shore.

The search and rescue started when people on shore called 911 about calls for help coming from the lake.

A photo shows the group rejoicing after their rescue, still clinging to the cooler and seat cushion they used to stay afloat.

The four had rented a speed boat from the Ski Run Marina earlier in the day. A marina employee said one of the men answered a call at 7:30 p.m. when the the boat was not returned on time, saying they would be late.

What happened after that remains unclear. The employee says the men still have not called the rental company. The boat they rented is at the bottom of the lake.

The four declined medical attention. They are asking firefighters to keep their names anonymous.