Boat Capsizes on Lake George, Killing Passengers
WILLIS: You're looking at pictures of Lake George, New York, where a tour boat has capsized, carrying as many as 50 people. We will really don't know yet. There are multiple fatalities. We were speaking with Brian Pastiglione who is back with us, to report more on this. Brian, tell us, do we have a number of fatalities at this time?</s>PASTIGLIONE: Gerri, there's still no official word. A press conference we're being told it's going to be held in a half hour. From what I've seen, I was just over being at the shoreline, and I counted at least 15 fatalities. Just to bring you up to speed, just before 3:00, a shoreline boat, Ethan Allen tour boat capsized just after 3:00. Like I said, there's numerous rescue personnel from all over the area, helicopters in and out of the area, taking the people that had been rescued into the village to be treated. That is really all we know so for. Like I said a press conference is supposed to be held in about a half hour. We can hopefully bring you more information around then.</s>WILLIS: Brian, do we have any idea why the tour ship capsized? Was there a problem, it looks like a beautiful day there. It clearly wasn't weather-related.</s>PASTIGLIONE: No, I mean it's absolutely beautiful day up here. There's numerous boats on the water. We have no idea why this boat might have capsized, if there was a mechanical failure or something that happened on the boat itself. What we do know is that most of the activity -- this tour boat takes one-hour tours with people. Normally about 50 people on board this boat. All the activities happening just along the shoreline. It's not in the middle of the lake. It's along the shoreline. So thankfully it's easily accessible for the rescue personnel. They're still having a hard time getting people out of the water.</s>WILLIS: Do you have any idea, Brian, of the track record for safety for these boats that operate in that area? Is there typically problems, or is this very unusual?</s>PASTIGLIONE: To be honest with you, I'm not 100 percent sure. I've lived in this area my entire life and I've never seen or heard of any type of accident like this on Lake George or any of the surrounding areas, with a huge tour boat like this. Hopefully we'll get more answers at the pres conference.</s>WILLIS: Brian, quickly these probably a lot of seniors on this boat, is that correct?</s>PASTIGLIONE: That's what we're being told. I can't confirm that for sure. We're being told that it was a boat filled with senior citizens, yes.</s>WILLIS: A very sad story, indeed. Brian Pastiglione thanks for your help.</s>PASTIGLIONE: Thanks.</s>WILLIS: Ahead, state of emergency, a special edition of "Anderson Cooper 360." And then at 6:00 Eastern we continue our look at rebuilding New Orleans after hurricane Katrina. Carol Lin examines how the Ninth Ward should be rebuilt. And at 7:00 Eastern, "CNN Presents" follows the forecasters, emergency officials and plain old ordinary citizens who worked frantically as hurricane Rita roared toward the coast. "Monster Tracking the Storm" that's tonight at 7:00 Eastern. I'll be back with the headlines after this.