Table Rock Lake duck boat accident
 Table Rock Dam and Table Rock Lake | |
| Date | July 19, 2018 |
|---|---|
| Time | Around 19:00 (CDT) |
| Location | Table Rock Lake, Missouri, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 36°36′26″N 93°19′10″W / 36.60722°N 93.31944°W |
| Cause | Under investigation; weather and rough waves factors |
| Participants | 31 |
| Deaths | 17 |
| Non-fatal injuries | 7 |
The Table Rock Lake duck boat accident occurred in the evening hours of July 19, 2018, on Table Rock Lake in the Ozarks near Branson, Missouri. A duck boat operated by Ride the Ducks overturned with 31 people aboard during high winds associated with nearby severe thunderstorms, resulting in 17 deaths.[1][2]
Background
The DUKW ("Duck" or "duck boat") is a wheeled amphibious vehicle used by the United States military and its allies during the later years of World War II and the Korean War.[3]
After the Korean War ended, the vehicles became available in surplus and a veteran in Minnesota began a business giving rides aboard the vessels to tourists on the Wisconsin River. Over the last 50 years, the practice has expanded to other areas. Several major tourist destinations in the United States feature duck boat tours, including Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.[4]
Before the Table Rock Lake accident, there had been several other fatal incidents involving duck boats,[5] notably one near Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1999,[6][7] in which 13 people were killed. This incident was attributed to several factors: according to the NTSB, inadequate maintenance was the main cause, with other contributing factors including inadequate reserve buoyancy, and the continuous canopy roof over the passenger cabin preventing escape.[8]
Accident
The accident occurred shortly after 7 p.m. Central Daylight Time on July 19, 2018, as a line of severe thunderstorms approached the Branson area. Approximately a half-hour prior to the accident, the National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for areas around and including Table Rock Lake.[9] It is not known if the two crew members aboard the vessel were aware of the warning or what action they attempted to take. The National Weather Service reports that winds in the area at the time were in excess of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) and the storm over the lake was moving "very quickly" and causing "three-foot waves on the lake".[10]
The vessel, one of two owned by Ride the Ducks that was on the lake at the time,[11] began taking on water. The first 911 call was received at 7:09 as the boat was already going under the water, according to the local sheriff.[12] Local officials reported the following morning that all passengers and crew aboard the vessel had been accounted for and confirmed a total of 17 deaths.[13] The ages of those who died in the accident ranged from 1 to 70 years old. Nine were members of a single family.[14]
Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) dispatched investigators to the accident site the following day.[15] In response to previous incidents involving duck boats, the NTSB had issued strong warnings about the design of the vehicles and the danger posed to passengers by their overhead canopies.[16][17]
Jim Pattison Jr., president of Ride the Ducks,[18] told the media that the storm that moved through the area and led to the accident "came out of nowhere",[19][20].
See also
- Ethan Allen boating accident, similar 2005 capsizing in upstate New York
References
- ^ Two victims leave hospital after Missouri tour boat tragedy..Retrieved July 21, 2018
- ^ Missouri duck boat captain told passengers not to don life jackets – survivor..Retrieved July 21 2018
- ^ Laud, Georgina. "Missouri boat tragedy: 13 dead – What is a duck boat? Are they dangerous?". Express. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "Branson duck boat accident: What exactly happened in Missouri tragedy". USA TODAY. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "Before 'mass casualty' incident near Branson, duck boats had history of fatalities". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "13 Dead In Boat Accident". Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "Branson Duck Boat Accident Stirs Memories of Lake Hamilton Tragedy". KARK. July 20, 2018. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ Board Meeting : Sinking of the U.S. Small Passenger Vessel Miss Majestic in Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs, Arkansas, on May 1, 1999, NTSB, 4/2/2002
- ^ "Death Toll Rises to 17 After Missouri Duck Boat Sinks in Severe Storm; All Passengers Accounted For | The Weather Channel". The Weather Channel. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ Joyce, Kathleen. "Missouri duck boat capsizes in lake amid violent storm; children among several dead". Fox News. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "17 people killed when duck boat sinks during storm in Missouri, police say". Washington Post. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ Hulsey, Joel. "Branson duck boat tragedy: 17 dead, all passengers accounted for". KSDK.com. Tegna, Inc. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "Branson duck boat accident: What exactly happened in Missouri tragedy". USA TODAY. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ Hanna, Jason; Stapleton, Anne-Claire; Karimi, Faith; Baldacci, Marlena (July 20, 2018). "17 killed in Missouri duck boat sinking ranged in age from 1 to 70". CNN. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "President Trump tweets about duck boat tragedy as Missouri leaders work with NTSB". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "Federal agency warned about danger of duck boat canopies before Table Rock tragedy". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "'Death traps': Federal officials have warned about dangers from duck boats for two decades". USA TODAY. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "Owner of Branson duck boat company: 'It shouldn't have been in the water'". Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "Death Toll Rises to 17 After Missouri Duck Boat Sinks in Severe Storm". The Weather Channel. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
- ^ "17 Dead After Missouri Duck Boat Sinks in Severe Storm; 9 of the Dead from Same Family". The Weather Channel. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
