A man, believed to be in his 40s, and a woman in her 60s, both with disabilities, died after a boat capsized at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Roadford Lake, near Okehampton. Their bodies were retrieved from the lake on Thursday, about 24 hours after the incident. Six people were thrown into the sea when the boat capsized. Four were rescued, including a 50-year-old woman who remains in critical condition at Derriford Hospital in nearby Plymouth. The rest were evacuated to the spot. The Maritime Accident Investigation Department (MAIB) said those involved are believed to be all from Devon. The two people who lost their lives have not yet been officially identified, but special support officers were supporting the families, Devon and Cornwall police said. The South West Lakes Charitable Center, which operates by the lake, is closed from Wednesday afternoon. In a statement, the charity said it was “shocked and saddened by the tragic events”. “Our thoughts are very much with the victims, their families and their friends,” he added. Devon and Cornwall police spokesman Toby Davies said: “It was a tragic incident in which two people lost their lives. We continue to support all the families involved in the mission of Special Family Liaison Officers and our thoughts remain with these families at this difficult time. “Parallel investigations will look at the circumstances surrounding the incident with the MAIB, in addition to identifying ways to prevent a similar incident in the future. “These investigations have already been linked to the medical examiner and we would expect him to proceed further next week.” A MAIB spokesman said: “Our investigation is in its early stages and our current focus is on gathering as much evidence as possible. “This will include everything from the day’s events to the design and construction of the boat. “We are conducting a safety investigation that will seek to determine the circumstances and causes of the accident and to identify ways to prevent a similar accident that will occur in the future. “All lines of inquiry are open and under scrutiny. “It’s too early for research to say anything more about this, but we can assure everyone that if we do identify the need for urgent security messages, they will be issued without delay.”
