Extreme waves, a dead engine, unworn life jackets, and a tragically poor position on the lake all contributed to the deaths of eight people on Lake Tahoe, according to a newly released preliminary report.

The June 21 incident on Lake Tahoe shocked the Northern California region and made national headlines. A freak thunderstorm that dropped hail and snow over the lake and suddenly whipped up ten-foot waves caught many boaters by surprise and caused significant damage at marinas around the lake.

But the most tragic case was that of the Pickles family and their friends, who went out on a pleasure cruise to celebrate the mother's 71st birthday, only to find themselves become the victim of a random act of nature.

The National Transportation and Safety Board has just released a preliminary report about the capsizing of 37-year-old Joshua Antony Pickles's 28-foot Chris-Craft motorboat, based on eyewitness and survivor accounts.

Pickles had taken his parents, Redwood City residents Paula Bozinovich, 71, and Terry Pickles, 73, out on his new boat, named Over the Moon, along with seven of their friends and family members. Four members of the group left from a Tahoe City boat ramp at 10:40 am, according to the NTSB report, per the Sacramento Bee, picking up six passengers at a nearby marina.

The group cruised across the lake to Emerald Bay, a popular, sheltered cove near the southwest part of the lake, arriving there around noon, and spending about 60 to 90 minutes there.

As clouds gathered over the lake around 2 pm, "the operator," presumably Joshua Pickles, decided to head back toward the marina, navigating out of the bay into more open water. Tragedy appears to have come after some indecision about where it would be safest to ride out the storm.

Per the NTSB report, "after getting underway, the winds, rain, and waves increased, and [Pickles] decided to return to Emerald Bay. After about 10 minutes, the operator made a second attempt to return to the marina."

Previous reports from meteorologists have suggested that the downdraft from the sudden thunderstorm caused a massive amount of wind to suddenly descend onto the surface of the lake, spreading from north to south — and the area where Pickles's boat became stuck was likely the exact worst spot on the lake, getting the most extreme waves as the storm hit.

According to the survivor, speaking to the NTSB, "marble-sized hail" began to fall and ten-foot waves began to splash into the vessel, causing about an inch of water to accumulate in the boat. At this point, Pickles turned on a bilge pump, that is meant to remove such water, but it seems as though it could not keep up.

The boat was about 50 to 100 yards from shore near Rubicon Point when its engine failed, and the boat reportedly turned broadside to the incoming waves, causing it to take on even more water. The boat then reportedly listed to the starboard aft corner, taking on even more water, before it capsized. Passengers were reportedly trying to bail out water by hand.

Only one of the people on board — it was one of the two survivors, Amy Friduss or her mother, Julie Lindsay, both residents of New York — put on a life jacket before the capsize occurred, and tried to distribute them to the others onboard, but none of them immediately put one on.

NTSB investigators say that no distress call was ever made from the boat.

At 2:57 pm, hikers near Rubicon Point witnessed the boat being flipped over by a strong wave. Some combination of the cold, 54-degree water and the rough waves appears to have led to the boaters' demise, with all of those deceased besides Joshua Pickles being over the age of 60.

The other victims have been identified as Pickles's uncle, Peter Bayes, 72, of Lincoln; Timothy O’Leary, 71, of Auburn; and Theresa Giullari, 66, James Guck, 69, and Stephen Lindsay, 63, who were all from western New York State.

Another hiker and a California State Parks lifeguard came to the rescue of Friduss and Lindsay, one of whom was found clinging to a life preserver, helping to pull them from the frigid water.

Multiple life jackets and one life ring were found floating in the water after the tragedy, and other floating devices were found still stowed onboard the capsized vessel.

The NTSB said that alcohol and drug testing results of the deceased are still pending.

Joshua Pickles, who was an executive at DoorDash in San Francisco, is survived by his wife, Jordan Sugar-Carlsgaard, and their seven-month-old daughter.

"The report confirms the deep tragedy of this accident which claimed the lives of Josh Pickles, his father, mother, uncle and friends," said Sam Singer, a spokesperson for Sugar-Carlsgaard, in a statement Wednesday. "[Pickles's family] is profoundly thankful for the rescue efforts made by so many first responders and good Samaritans in the tragic situation."

Suddenly rough waters similarly led to three capsize incidents on Bodega Bay last November, leading to the deaths of seven people.

Previously: Other Boaters In Distress Describe Dramatic Sudden Storm That Left Eight Dead In Tahoe