PAGE, Ariz. — A woman and two children have died and two others were hospitalized after a pontoon boat capsized on Lake Powell in northern Arizona, authorities said Sunday.

National Park Service officials said the privately owned 25-foot pontoon was being towed by another boater when it was overturned by waves Friday afternoon near the mouth of Navajo Canyon within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

Lake Powell is located northeast of Page and near the Arizona-Utah border.

Emergency crews responded to the scene and found some of the 11 passengers atop the overturned pontoon and others in the water and trapped underneath the boat.

Glen Canyon rangers and Page Fire Department personnel help get the injured out of the water and into ambulances and helicopters to be rushed to hospitals.

Authorities said Saturday that 72-year-old Melissa Bean and two 4-year-old boys died at the scene.

The names of the boys haven’t been released yet.

Authorities said two other pontoon passengers remained hospitalized Sunday — a 12-year-old girl in critical condition and a man being treated for undisclosed injuries.

It remains unclear if any of the victims were related, but authorities said families from Utah and Idaho were on the pontoon when it capsized.

The incident is being investigated by the county sheriff’s department, National Park Service and county medical examiner’s office.

“It’s not unusual for us to investigate a death on the water periodically throughout the year. However, the magnitude of this — we’ve got three fatalities and two in critical condition — is not a common circumstance and it’s definitely tragic,” Lt. Adam Simonsen, a spokesman for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, said in a statement.

PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality announced on Friday the Thatcher Company of Arizona committed multiple violations of state and federal law, resulting in a chemical leak at the Buckeye facility in June.

The nitric acid leak warranted a shelter in place order for the area as crews worked to clean the spill and yellowish-brown clouds were released into the air.

“This incident at Thatcher Company’s facility was unacceptable,” ADEQ Waste Programs Division Director Julie Riemenschneider said. “Releases of hazardous materials can endanger the health and safety of people and families living nearby.

“We deeply appreciate the swift actions of the first responders who quickly stepped in to protect the community. ADEQ is committed to holding this facility accountable and working with them to help prevent future incidents. Our top priority is the safety and well-being of all Arizonans.”

ADEQ personnel visited the facility on June 28, a week after the spill, to inspect its operations.

Following the inspection, ADEQ gave 11 potential issues the company needs to address over 30 days, part of which includes providing photos and documents so the ADEQ can verify the issues had been addressed.

“Hazardous waste facilities must adhere to the stringent safety protocols. It is crucial for these facilities to have emergency planning, including notification to the local emergency authority,” Riemenschneider added. “These requirements are designed to protect our communities and ensure that responses to potential hazards are swift and effective.”

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(The Center Square) – Ahead of Arizona’s primary election on Tuesday, election security has been a hot topic among politicians. So much so that Secretary of State Adrian Fontes released a misinformation alert Friday afternoon.

“The Secretary of State encourages voters to rely only on trusted sources for accurate, election-related news,” reads a press release from the Secretary of State’s Office. “We want to reassure the public that the security and integrity of their vote are our top priorities.”

Election integrity is something that Senate candidate Kari Lake has spoken out about when it came to her election loss to Katie Hobbs in the 2022 race for governor. Lake claimed that Maricopa County didn’t conduct required accuracy testing on its tabulators and believed they were inaccurate, refusing to concede the race.

She has since claimed that her Republican opponent, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, is a “coward” when it comes to election integrity.

“He does not respect our elections,” Lake said. “He has done absolutely zero to make sure we have safe and secure elections.”

Lamb responded with an email to his supporters refuting Lake’s allegations.

“The topic of election integrity is incredibly important to me (and this country), and it’s one that I take very seriously,” the email reads. “My opponent, former newscaster Kari Lake, has resorted to making baseless accusations against me, suggesting that I turned a blind eye to election fraud. This couldn’t be further from the truth.”

Lamb said that in 2020, the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office installed cameras on every ballot drop box in the county and monitored the footage. He even opened up the footage for the community to view.

“I’ve always fought for election integrity no matter what people say,” Lamb said.

Lake declined to participate in the GOP primary debate where Lamb did a Q&A, saying that election fraud is something he would address if elected as U.S. senator.

“There’s fraud in every election,” Lamb said. “We’ve got to do a lot better nationally with election security. We owe it to the American people.”

Fontes assured voters in his statement that the state is diligent in ensuring secure elections. The polls will be open for the state primary election at 6 a.m. and they close at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Voters in Maricopa County can find their closest polling location here. Voters in Pima County can find their closest polling location here. All other voters can visit my.arizona.vote to find their polling locations.

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In order to participate, voters must bring valid identification, either a photo ID or two forms of ID if they don’t include a photograph.

Fontes encourages people to be aware of the upcoming heatwave when going to polling locations and many locations will be equipped with cooling centers providing relief from the heat. More information on what to expect on election day can be found at https://azsos.gov/elections/voters.