Coordinates: 36°36′26″N 93°19′10″W

Table Rock Lake duck boat accident

On the evening of July 19, 2018, a duck boat operated by Ride the Ducks sank
Table Rock Lake boat
on Table Rock Lake in the Ozarks near Branson, Missouri, in the United States.
accident
The amphibious vehicle overturned with 31 people on board, leaving 17 dead,
[1][2]
during high winds associated with nearby severe thunderstorms.

Contents
Background
Accident
Investigation and aftermath
Table Rock Dam and Table Rock Lake
See also
Date July 19, 2018
References
Time Around 19:00 (CDT)
Location Table Rock Lake,
Background Missouri, U.S.

The DUKW ("Duck" or "duck boat") is a wheeled amphibious vehicle used by Coordinates 36°36′26″N 93°19′10″W
the United States military and its allies during the later years of World War II Cause Under investigation;
and the Korean War.[3] The vehicles became available in surplus after the weather and rough
Korean War, and a veteran in Minnesota began a business giving rides aboard waves factors
the vessels to tourists on the Wisconsin River. Over the last 50 years, the
Participants 31
practice has expanded to other areas. Several major tourist destinations in the
Deaths 17
United States feature duck boat tours, including Boston, Philadelphia, and
Washington, D.C.[4] Non-fatal 7
injuries
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 died. That incident was attributed to several factors,
according to the National Transportation Safety Board (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] Among others, recommendations were made for
amphibious passenger vehicles to either add additional buoyancy to prevent sinking
when flooded, or require passengers to wear life jackets and remove the canopy to
A duck boat similar in design to the
allow escape in the event of a sinking. one involved in this accident

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 an hour prior to the accident, the National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning
for areas around the lake.[9] It is not known whether 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
[10]
hour (100 km/h), and the storm over the lake was moving very quickly and causing three-foot (one-meter) waves on the lake.
The vessel was one of two owned by Ride the Ducks on the lake at the time,[11] and it 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, and nine were members of a single family.[14] None of the
[15]
passengers or crew were wearing a life jacket when the boat sank.

Investigation and aftermath

The NTSB dispatched investigators to the accident site the following day.[16] 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.[17][18]

Jim Pattison Jr., president of Ride the Ducks,[19] told the media that the storm "came
out of nowhere", then moved through the area and led to the accident.[20][21] Tia
Coleman lost nine family members in the accident; she claimed that the crew
specifically told passengers not to put on life jackets because they would not need
them.[22] The original design of the DUKW did
not include a hard overhead canopy.
Stone Mountain near Atlanta, Georgia, suspended their duck boat rides the day after
the accident.[23]

The boat was raised from the bottom of the lake by the US Coast Guard on July 23, 2018, after being examined and photographed by
divers. Divers also recovered a recording device from the boat, about 80 feet (24 m) below the surface.[24] Ride the Ducks has
[25]
announced that it will pay for funeral and medical expenses for the passengers on board the boat.

See also
Ethan Allen boating accident (2005), similar capsizing in upstate New Y
ork

References
1. Two victims leave hospital after Missouri tourboat tragedy (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-missouri-boat/two-victi
ms-leave-hospital-after-missouri-tour-boat-tragedy-idUSKBN1KB0LS) . Retrieved July 21, 2018
2. Missouri duck boat captain told passengers not to don life jackets – survivor
(https://www.reuters.com/article/us-miss
ouri-boat-family/missouri-duck-boat-captain-told-passengers-not-to-don-life-jackets-survivor-idUSKBN1KB007) .
Retrieved July 21 2018
3. Laud, Georgina. "Missouri boat tragedy: 13 dead – What is a duck boat? Are they dangerous?"(https://www.expres
s.co.uk/news/world/991920/missouri-boat-tragedy-duck-boat-capsized-storm-table-rock-lake)
. Express. Retrieved
July 20, 2018.
4. "Branson duck boat accident: What exactly happened in Missouri tragedy"
(https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/20
18/07/20/branson-duck-boat-accident-what-happened/806195002/) . USA TODAY. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
5. "Before 'mass casualty' incident near Branson, duck boats had history of fatalities"
(https://www.news-leader.com/sto
ry/news/local/ozarks/2018/07/20/before-mass-casualty-near-branson-duck-boats-had-history-fatalities/804987002/) .
Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
6. "13 Dead In Boat Accident"(https://www.cbsnews.com/news/13-dead-in-boat-accident/). Retrieved July 20, 2018.
7. "Branson Duck Boat Accident Stirs Memories of Lake Hamilton ragedy"
T (https://www.kark.com/news/local-news/bra
nson-duck-boat-accident-stirs-memories-of-lake-hamilton-tragedy/1312676688). KARK. July 20, 2018. Retrieved
July 20, 2018.
 8. "Board Meeting : Sinking of the U.S. Small Passenger e
Vssel Miss Majestic in Lake Hamilton, Hot Springs,
Arkansas, on May 1, 1999"(https://www.ntsb.gov/news/events/Pages/Sinking_of_the_U.S._Small_Passenger_Vess
el_Miss_Majestic_in_Lake_Hamilton_Hot_Springs_Arkansas_on_May_1_1999.aspx) . National Transportation
Safety Board. 2002-04-02. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
9. "Duck boat tragedy timeline: First weather alert issued 11:20 a.m. Thursday"
(https://www.news-leader.com/story/ne
ws/local/ozarks/2018/07/20/duck-boat-weather-service-alert-looming-storm-disaster-issued-missouri-table-rock-lake/
806702002/). Springfield News-Leader. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
10. Joyce, Kathleen. "Missouri duck boat capsizes in lake amid violent storm; children among several dead"
(http://www.f
oxnews.com/us/2018/07/20/missouri-duck-boat-capsizes-in-lake-amid-violent-storm-children-among-several-dead.ht
ml). Fox News. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
11. "17 people killed when duck boat sinks during storm in Missouri, police say"
(https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/
morning-mix/wp/2018/07/19/at-least-8-reported-dead-as-duck-boat-capsizes-near-branson-mo-divers-search-for-sur
vivors/). Washington Post. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
12. Hulsey, Joel. "Branson duck boat tragedy: 17 dead, all passengers accounted for"(https://www.ksdk.com/article/new
s/local/branson-duck-boat-tragedy-17-dead-all-passengers-accounted-for/63-575837245) . KSDK.com. Tegna, Inc.
Retrieved July 20, 2018.
13. "Branson duck boat accident: What exactly happened in Missouri tragedy"
(https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/20
18/07/20/branson-duck-boat-accident-what-happened/806195002/) . USA TODAY. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
14. 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"(https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/20/us/missouri-boat-incident/index.html).
CNN. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
15. NTSB looks at weather reports given to boat crew(http://www.ky3.com/content/news/NTSB-looks-at-weather-reports
-given-to-boat-crew-488815241.html), KY3 21 July 2018
16. "President Trump tweets about duck boat tragedy as Missouri leaders work with NTSB"(https://www.kansascity.com/
news/state/missouri/article215221845.html). The Kansas City Star. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
17. "Federal agency warned about danger of duck boat canopies beforeable
T Rock tragedy" (https://www.kansascity.co
m/news/state/missouri/article215219170.html)
. The Kansas City Star. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
18. " 'Death traps': Federal officials have warned about dangers from duck boats for two decades"(https://www.usatoda
y.com/story/news/2018/07/20/duck-boat-amphibious-vehicle-regulations/807244002/). USA TODAY. Retrieved
July 20, 2018.
19. "Owner of Branson duck boat company: 'It shouldn't have been in the water
' " (https://www.news-leader.com/story/ne
ws/breaking-news/2018/07/20/owner-branson-boat-company-shouldnt-have-been-water/806322002/) . Springfield
News-Leader. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
20. "Death Toll Rises to 17 After Missouri Duck Boat Sinks in Severe Storm"(https://weather.com/news/news/2018-07-1
9-missouri-boat-crash-deaths-table-rock-lake-branson) . The Weather Channel. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
21. "17 Dead After Missouri Duck Boat Sinks in Severe Storm; 9 of the Dead from Same Family"
(https://weather.com/ne
ws/news/2018-07-20-missouri-fatal-boat-crash-table-rock-lake-branson)
. The Weather Channel. Retrieved July 21,
2018.
22. Quinn, David Duck Boat Survivor Says Captain Told Them 'Don't Worry About Grabbing the Life Jackets'(https://ww
w.yahoo.com/lifestyle/duck-boat-survivor-says-captain-170718754.html)People magazine/Yahoo News
23. "Stone Mountain Park suspends duck boats after Missouri tragedy"(https://www.ajc.com/news/local/stone-mountain-
park-suspends-duck-boats-after-missouri-tragedy/3NOvYRZE7JhA WXWpogVfaJ/). The Atlanta Journal Constitution.
July 20, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2018.
24. Ingber, Sasha Coast Guard Raises Duck Boat That Capsized In Missouri(https://www.npr.org/2018/07/23/63150518
0/coast-guard-raises-duck-boat-that-capsized-in-missouri)National Public Radio, 23 July 2018
25. Barnett, Daniel. "Duck boat company to pay for funeral expenses, hospital bills for those involved in crash"
(http://ww
w.kmov.com/story/38707444/duck-boat-company-to-pay-for-funeral-expenses-hospital-bil ls-for-those-involved-in-cra
sh). Retrieved 2018-07-23.

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