17 dead after duck boat capsizes on Table Rock Lake

[Dartgod]

This is awful. So sad...


NEAR BRANSON, Mo. -- The Stone County Sheriff confirms eight fatalities involved in a duck boat capsizing on Table Rock Lake Thursday.

Emergency crews responded to the incident shortly after 7 p.m. after a severe line of thunderstorms rolled through the area.

Sheriff Doug Rader reports the boat had 31 people on board. He tells KY3 News four of those have been transported to a hospital. Some of the 31 on board include children. Divers are on the scene searching for more possible victims. The sheriff says he does not know how many on the boat are missing. The sheriff is asking for any family missing someone to go to Branson City Hall. It remains a rescue and recovery mission.


http://www.ky3.com/content/news/Emer...488679201.html

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Yeah, they are small and strapped to the ceiling.

I figures I'd need like 3 to get my large ass to float.

My wife and I are really aware people. We always check everything out, hech my wife is always packing and has turnicates and shit, its weird, a little too serious sfor me to be honest. Now the one we were on didn't have plexiglass sides so if shit hit the fan I would have been out the window and either get to the branson belle or the little island they go around out in the water.

Had I been out on that thing I would have been communicating with the driver and captain in that situation. I'd be shocked if those people didn't have the life vests on. I think the main issue is that they couldn't get out. And if you did you are going to be pushed near a giant paddelwheeler.

So let's say these boats were made with floating roofs that are designed to come off if the boat sinks. Do you think most people would live in that case? If so that seems like a pretty simple fix to me.

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

Originally Posted by cooper barrett

I used to beach the fishing boat on Riss Lake when lightning and high winds hit.

The Ducks have a responsibility to protect their passengers and if they were told of 60 mph winds anywhere near the time window and went into the lake then there is negligence. If the storm, like in the IN stage collapse, hit early and at more than twice the force as forecasted, it may just turn into lawyers missing in the wind.

I have no reservations about taking a duck out on the lake, as I have done many times, but wouldn't consider one anything but a fair weather vessel.

I saw a report with a meteorologist talking about the storm. They said they were tracking the storm, a typical Midwest thunderstorm, and they had time to finish and be docked by the time it arrived. Unfortunately, the report said the winds preceded the storm, as you can see in the video, it's not raining yet. These winds developed extremely quickly and were way more intense and don't show up on radar. The reporter said the rains didn't come until 5-10 minutes after the event and they would have had plenty of time to dock based on radar. The actual rain and thunderstorm only lasted a few minutes. Don't know the validity of this, but it makes some sense. Very sad deal.

[dj56dt58]

Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief

I saw a report with a meteorologist talking about the storm. They said they were tracking the storm, a typical Midwest thunderstorm, and they had time to finish and be docked by the time it arrived. Unfortunately, the report said the winds preceded the storm, as you can see in the video, it's not raining yet. These winds developed extremely quickly and were way more intense and don't show up on radar. The reporter said the rains didn't come until 5-10 minutes after the event and they would have had plenty of time to dock based on radar. The actual rain and thunderstorm only lasted a few minutes. Don't know the validity of this, but it makes some sense. Very sad deal.

Even if this was the case..they are still cutting it close which is inexcusable especially on a ride that typically has a lot of kids on board

[dj56dt58]

Me my wife and kids have ridden the ducks before in Branson..it's a nice ride even before the lake..they could have simply said due to incoming weather they can't get into the water and i'm sure the passengers would have been completely fine with it

[Skyy God]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.was...ut-of-nowhere/

[Why Not?]

Grew up on the water. Grew up being taught the saying "if there's any doubt, you don't go out" period! Total negligence on the part of the company/captain.

[Why Not?]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

So let's say these boats were made with floating roofs that are designed to come off if the boat sinks. Do you think most people would live in that case? If so that seems like a pretty simple fix to me.

Depends on the people. Their age, their physical stamina, their swimming ability, and their ability to avoid the freeze part of flight, fight, or freeze while in a crisis. Generally speaking, it would be a better option to have a removable roof to avoid the trapping effect that occurs with these "boats". On this particular vessel, there were a bunch of elderly, very young, and African Americans who historically have a higher chance of being poor swimmers(and anybody can **** off with any racism claims, look it up). Very likely most who died may have died anyway.

[Hoover]

The interview with the gal that one of the two survivors that lost 9 family members is pretty damning if you ask me. Not only did the Duck captain tell them they didn't need their live vests on, she also said that the Duck departed straight to the lake instead of taking the normal route in order to get this ride in before the storm. Which means the company was aware of the weather and wanted to cash in one more load of riders before the storm came.

[Flying High D]

^ They were also kept being told to stay seated all the way to the very end.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Cave Johnson

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.was...ut-of-nowhere/

Originally Posted by el lo kent

I hate to say it, but my first thought was "Who did the older folks on the boat vote for?"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...1-88156946860a

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by Hoover

The interview with the gal that one of the two survivors that lost 9 family members is pretty damning if you ask me. Not only did the Duck captain tell them they didn't need their live vests on, she also said that the Duck departed straight to the lake instead of taking the normal route in order to get this ride in before the storm. Which means the company was aware of the weather and wanted to cash in one more load of riders before the storm came.

Yeah, I have been hearing the same thing from a lot of different sources. The owner of this outfit is in some deep doo-doo.

[lewdog]

I hope the Duck Boat company doesn't go under after they get sued for this act of negligence.

[Deberg_1990]

Originally Posted by Flying High D

^ They were also kept being told to stay seated all the way to the very end.

Would have had a much better chance to have them abandon ship with life vests on several minutes earlier.

[Skyy God]

Originally Posted by lewdog

I hope the Duck Boat company doesn't go under after they get sued for this act of negligence.

I bet they get swamped with lawsuits....

[Skyy God]

It’s gonna attract trial attorneys like ducks to water.