21 die as US tour boat sinks

The boat was carrying a tour group from Canada when it flipped over and sank about 50ft to 100ft from shore. Broadcast reports said that most of the victims were not wearing life jackets.

Last night authorities were investigating whether the wake from a large passing tour boat had caused the accident, Warren County sheriff Larry Cleveland said.

The 40ft glass-enclosed boat Ethan Allen capsized at about 3pm local time on Lake George, about 50 miles north of Albany in the Adirondack Mountains. By 5pm all passengers had been accounted for.

The bodies were laid out along the shore, and the scene was blocked off by police with cordons.

The weather was clear, calm and in the 70s yesterday afternoon. The boat was said to be on the west side of the lake when it sank.

Representatives of Shoreline Cruises, which operates the tour boat, could not immediately be reached for comment.

Several police boats were on the water, and at least half a dozen divers were working in a small cove on the west side of the lake.

Mr Cleveland said the captain of the boat survived.

The nearby Glen Falls Hospital was said to be on a code yellow disaster alert.