Amazon Engineer Yadessa Aga Dies in Accidental Drowning at Lake Tahoe

Yadessa Aga, a 32‑year‑old software engineer employed by Amazon and resident of Austin, Texas, died after being rescued unresponsive from the waters of Lake Tahoe, Nevada. Deputies from the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office responded around 8 p.m. on Monday to the North Sand Harbor boat ramp, where bystanders had pulled Aga from the lake after he swam toward offshore granite boulders at dusk and disappeared beneath the surface. Emergency personnel performed CPR on site, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The investigation remains open, with officials classifying the incident as an apparent accidental drowning pending further toxicology and cause‑of‑death findings. Lake Tahoe’s cold, deep waters are known to cause thermal shock; roughly seven people die there each year from similar incidents. Colleagues remembered Aga as a talented and generous team player.