In case someone hadn't heard, at least 13 people, including children, perished when a "Ride the Ducks" boat sank amid high waves brought on by a storm on Table Rock Lake. Authorities say three people are still missing.

This is just so beyond tragic. I can't even imagine a family going on a vacation and suddenly being confronted with this awful situation. Prayers for all involved.

Agree. Awful situation.

Up to 17 dead now. Incredibly unfortunate.

Up to 17 dead now. Incredibly unfortunate.

That's over half the passengers on the boat (31 if I recall correctly).

I'm a fan of these duck boat tours, and have ridden on them in at least four cities. This accident and the one in Philly years ago can definitely make one weary of them.

Any word yet if the life vest had been handed out? If not, why? If so, why so many fatalities?

Any word yet if the life vest had been handed out? If not, why? If so, why so many fatalities?

Wondering the same thing. Did a lot of these people not know how to swim? It wasn't like it was in the middle of the ocean this is a relatively narrow lake and any waves generated by the storm would be fairly small.

Video shows it was pretty rough. Comments I've read and AFAI can tell from the video, the boat had a canopy with soft sided walls and vinyl zippered windows like on a jeep. Probably everyone was in full denial the boat was going down until it did, then panic, no real emergency escape plan or method to get people out of the boat.

Story about safety issues: https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/safety-concerns-about-duck-boats-have-been-sounded-for-years/article_4991d540-a42b-502c-af90-d3cb55cf759a.html

Video shows it was pretty rough. Comments I've read and AFAI can tell from the video, the boat had a canopy with soft sided walls and vinyl zippered windows like on a jeep. Probably everyone was in full denial the boat was going down until it did, then panic, no real emergency escape plan or method to get people out of the boat.

Story about safety issues: https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/safety-concerns-about-duck-boats-have-been-sounded-for-years/article_4991d540-a42b-502c-af90-d3cb55cf759a.html

Are those hard canopy tops? Their making an already low to the water boat, top heavy. Seeing that video, I would have already been trying to get that a window open 4 minutes before sinking.

Are those hard canopy tops? Their making an already low to the water boat, top heavy. Seeing that video, I would have already been trying to get that a window open 4 minutes before sinking.

Horizontal rain and spray might interfere with good judgement. I can't tell what the roof is made from. It could be fiberglass or it might be canvas stretched on a frame. You can see the life jackets mounted underneath the roof in these photos.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g44160-d282629-Reviews-Ride_The_Ducks_of_Branson-Branson_Missouri.html#photos;geo=44160&detail=282629&ff=196736905&albumViewMode=hero&aggregationId=101&albumid=101&baseMediaId=196736905&thumbnailMinWidth=50&cnt=30&offset=-1&filter=7&autoplay=

Wondering the same thing. Did a lot of these people not know how to swim? It wasn't like it was in the middle of the ocean this is a relatively narrow lake and any waves generated by the storm would be fairly small.

@shawnw - What safety briefings have you received in your four previous duck boat tours? Any life vest instructions?

I was able to quickly find pictures of me and my daughters in Seattle and Philly on ducks and in neither case were we wearing life vests. I know we got safety instructions, but this was years ago (my daughters are grown now) so I don't remember the particulars.

I was listening to NPR this morning on the way to work. I heard a couple interviews with lakeside resort owners/workers that said the storm literally came up in an instant and they had never seen anything like it before. I can believe this because my wife and I were on Hefner a few years ago just sailing along and all of a sudden we were in high, and I mean high winds. I always carried a knife for such emergencies and I cut the sail sheets (ropes for non sailors) because I couldn’t get them loose. I thought we were going down. By the time we motored back to the slip is was dead calm. The storm lasted all of 10 minutes but I was as scared as I’ve ever been.

I've been in that situation where a storm came up I wasn't expecting. Might have been partially due to not looking at the weather possibilities.

In this case, it seems to have been predicted well in advance.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2018/07/20/the-violent-storm-behind-the-duck-boat-tragedy-was-well-predicted-not-out-of-nowhere/?utm_term=.c9d585bf5ffd

Wondering the same thing. Did a lot of these people not know how to swim? It wasn't like it was in the middle of the ocean this is a relatively narrow lake and any waves generated by the storm would be fairly small.

Several eye witness reported 6 foot waves.

I was listening to NPR this morning on the way to work. I heard a couple interviews with lakeside resort owners/workers that said the storm literally came up in an instant and they had never seen anything like it before. I can believe this because my wife and I were on Hefner a few years ago just sailing along and all of a sudden we were in high, and I mean high winds. I always carried a knife for such emergencies and I cut the sail sheets (ropes for non sailors) because I couldn’t get them loose. I thought we were going down. By the time we motored back to the slip is was dead calm. The storm lasted all of 10 minutes but I was as scared as I’ve ever been.

Not to discount their experience or yours, but in this instance (as this is rightfully getting a lot of talk in the meteorological community) there had been a Severe Thunderstorm Warning out for 40 minutes before the storms hit that location, as well as a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for hours beforehand. We'll see what the NTSB finds in their investigation, but the idea that there was no warning and that it came out of nowhere like people always claim after these things is just simply not true.

More from the former President of the American Meteorological Society: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2018/07/20/duck-boat-tragedy-was-preventable-because-storm-did-not-come-out-of-nowhere/

I was listening to NPR this morning on the way to work. I heard a couple interviews with lakeside resort owners/workers that said the storm literally came up in an instant and they had never seen anything like it before. I can believe this because my wife and I were on Hefner a few years ago just sailing along and all of a sudden we were in high, and I mean high winds. I always carried a knife for such emergencies and I cut the sail sheets (ropes for non sailors) because I couldn’t get them loose. I thought we were going down. By the time we motored back to the slip is was dead calm. The storm lasted all of 10 minutes but I was as scared as I’ve ever been.

These summer storms can really sneak up on you in a hurry. I was out doing yard work two Saturdays ago when the wind picked up out of nowhere and within 10 minutes, there was an absolute downpour and really heavy winds.

I have a lot of thoughts on all of this, but best to just say it's a terrible, terrible tragedy and I wish the best for all of the people affected.

The video shows that the captain had steered the boat into the waves, which is exactly what I think you're supposed to do, but the waves were lapping up over the sides and going into the boat. I'm not sure what anyone could have done in that scenario. I remember riding them a few years ago and once the boat was in the water (on a calm day), I wished I had a life vest just out of general principle. Egress out of that boat given that roof and no vest would be problematic at best. I can't even watch that video.

I'm wondering if we will eventually hear from survivors that they escaped merely for making their own decision to bail out before the boat sank completely.

I'm betting there are some new rules or regs put out pretty soon that limit the max passenger load and/or mandates life jackets be worn. I just don't think there's anything you could do to that boat given it's structure to make it safer in that scenario.

The irony is that wearing life jackets would have made little difference if the boat is sinking and the passengers can’t get out. Sounds like there should have been some escape hatches built into the roof.

I watched the video and couldn’t help but think I would have bailed the second the boat started taking on water. It lasted several minutes before it went down. I have been boating on nearby beaver lake this week. We caught a lot of freaky storms all week, including one on Monday that was so violent we had to just shut down due to visibility and get pelted.

Luckily a pontoon doesn’t take on water like a traditional craft, it relies on sealed aluminum tubes to float. But neither is a duck to be considered a traditional craft, they’re like floating tanks with considerable weight vs displacement. I couldn’t believe that such an unsubstantial craft is allowed to have inoperable windows with a hard ceiling and only one exit at the rear, and the other at the front like a school bus.

I’m more upset that they launched the boat with knowledge that a storm was coming. They always flare up over water as there is no trees or landscape to slow the wind. I get upset with a lot of the tourism culture in this area. It’s always “rain or shine, no rain checks, NO REFUNDS.”

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Man, really would not want to be on a pontoon in those conditions either. They can easily be flipped by the wind. There was a terrible incident with a commercial pontoon ferry in Baltimore which flipped in high winds and killed five: http://www.professionalmariner.com/February-2007/Five-tourists-killed-when-high-winds-overturn-pontoon-water-taxi-in-Baltimore-Inner-Harbor/

They just recovered the boat. Its eerie because you see bunch of red life jackets hanging from roof

Can someone link the video of the boat sinking? All I can find is annoying news media videos showing the boat chugging along before it even sinks... I feel like I am missing something because I didn't see anyone panicking or even in the water at all.

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I think that the actual moment of sinking might not have been captured. The video you see most often was actually of two of the boats struggling to get back to the dock, and the person shooting was darting around and shooting other events transpiring simultaneously. May also have just stopped filming at some point. When it returns to the specific boat that sunk there are surprised and horrified exclamations acknowledging that it was gone.

The irony is that wearing life jackets would have made little difference if the boat is sinking and the passengers can’t get out. Sounds like there should have been some escape hatches built into the roof.

Hopefully that is a change that is required on future duck boats. One or two of these hatches would've saved lives, assuming the people inside could easily open it.

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Several eye witness reported 6 foot waves.

I watched the video and couldn't believe how rough it was. I wonder if the topography of that area, steep hills on both sides, played a role in creating such large waves. I have been on Grand Lake a few times during severe thunderstorms and have never seen anything like on that video. Lots of boats would struggle in those waves and would take on water or capsize.

I watched the video and couldn't believe how rough it was. I wonder if the topography of that area, steep hills on both sides, played a role in creating such large waves. I have been on Grand Lake a few times during severe thunderstorms and have never seen anything like on that video. Lots of boats would struggle in those waves and would take on water or capsize.

Back in 1993 my family rented a houseboat and spend two weeks on Table Rock lake. I was just 18 at the time with my parents, sisters, and future wife. About halfway through the trip we were stuck in a remote area of the lake during a thunderstorm and it was a nightmare. We finally got near a shoreline and I was in the water trying to tie down the boat to trees while my father was trying to keep the boat from crushing me. There were easily 6 foot swells and it was rough. I've never seen a lake get as violent as that.

Of course my future wife, my mom, and my sisters were just sitting inside playing cards during all of this, oblivious besides of the boat's movements.

Fetch

Waves will continue to grow as long as there is a net addition of energy to them. Their height will increase as a function of wind speed and duration and the distance over which it blows (fetch). Most lakes are so small that fetch considerations are unimportant. Studies in larger lakes, however, have shown that the height of the highest waves are related to the fetch. In these lakes, waves as high as several metres are common, although waves of about 7 metres (23 feet) are the highest to be expected. Wave heights in a given portion of a lake may vary considerably, due to interactions that suppress some waves and amplify others. As waves develop, their lengths increase, even after their height has stopped increasing. The phenomenon of swell, commonly observed in the oceans, is not truly realized, even in the largest lakes.

Waves travel in the same direction as the wind that generated them and at right angles to their crests. If they meet a solid object rather than a sloping beach, much of their energy will be reflected. If they enter shallow water obliquely, they are refracted.

https://www.britannica.com/science/lake/Surface-waves#ref359711

I don't know which way the wind was blowing that day but it makes a difference when it's blowing the length of a long lake and sometimes more so when it's funneled between mountains.

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Based on video the boat was trying to return via an upwind route, against the waves. This would be the correct heading in this situation, as turning sideways to the swells could result in a rollover and turning your stern to the wind and waves could/would result in a swamping. Once your engine is taken out of play you are at the complete mercy of the wind and waves. I have been hesitant to comment on this because it feels a little bit close. Our company operated duck boats for a very short time in Florida over a decade ago. Unfortunately (or fortunately, in retrospect) the boats used at the time were still largely WWII military surplus and not built originally for extended use; in fact many were built JUST for landing at Normandy on D-Day. So our experience was that they didn't hold up to salt water and we got out of the business almost as quickly as we were in it. Our contract at the time was with the company that I believe was involved in this incident - which by the way has an excellent safety record according to reports I've seen - though it looks like they are now a subsidiary of Ripley Entertainment.

I think many or maybe even most of the boats now used are actually reproductions rather than surplus boats, as they are much easier to maintain.

In this instance it sounds like speculation is pointing to the difficulty in exiting the boat thanks to the fixed canopy, which is not an original feature. There apparently had been some safety recommendations against this in the past, but I can empathize with the desire to please passengers who no doubt demanded shade. I have no opinion on whether the canopies were unsafe because I don't know. I just know that this is being discussed as a part of the investigation, according to the media.

I think there also may have been a tendency to overestimate the seaworthiness of the boat by individual operators; you make hundreds if not thousands of trips where nothing happens and it is possible to become complacent. At the end of the day waterborne transit has a distinct set of risks and responsibilities and safety must be a primary consideration at all times, even if it sometimes seems over-cautious.

To me those boats (DUKW boats in general) have always seemed a little iffy, though they certainly have passed safety inspections and even been certified for many waterways by the U.S.C.G.. I know that there have been criticisms of the overall design, which are said to be a bit top-heavy, sit relatively low in the water (making them easy to swamp) and have engine compartments which are also easy to swamp. I have no opinion on this because I am not an expert.

Regarding weather, I don't disagree that - especially in this part of the country - it is common for micorbursts and squalls to come up seemingly out of nowhere. Someone more conversant on weather can chime in, but the heating/convection thing can cause storms to cook up in the afternoon and be crazy without having been on radar in any way only minutes before. I've been caught on the water with some in the past and it is truly terrifying. That said, technology has come a long way since the last time this happened to me personally. I start every day by watching multiple weather forecasts, paying attention to anticipated conditions and chances of such events later in the day. If chances are forecast as high, I pay extra attention. Also, I keep about ten weather/radar apps on my phone, notifications on, and pay close attention to them. In most cases these days an outdoor attraction or boat operation can suspend service and be off of the water (or at least secured and sheltered somewhere) before such an event hits. But there are always exceptions and I would not want to second guess anyone involved. I will watch for the results of the accident investigation closely.

Like I said, I have a lot of thoughts anytime something like this happens, and truly often feel like "there but for the grace of God..."

It's a tragic and heartbreaking situation.

I saw where 9 of the victims were from one family. The mother was on the news and lost her husband and all 4 children.. so sad.

I have been on this Branson tour years ago and those Duck boats didn't feel very seas worthy to me. I do remember they had rows of lifejackets inside the boat but no one wore them. In fact the trip into Table Rock lake seemed very short in the water. It was like in and out maybe 10 minutes in the water. Table Rock lake is a big deep lake and pretty sure it is the White River that runs through it. Same water as Taneycomo Lake/ White River. I did say to the wife and kids after the tour that I would never ride the ducks again. I hope they shut this tour down or mandate serious safety changes. This is not the first time a terrible tragic accident like this has happened and if there are not changes made it will happen again.

These things remind me of the car they made back in the 60/70s that you could drive into the water. Just doesn't seem natural to drive on the road and then drive into a body of water in the same vehicle.

Please don't take the following as me be callus toward the situation. I couldn't be more sorry for the families involved. But these discussions do take place regardless.

I work in the insurance industry, and this situation has obviously brought this "situation" to light. The first few things that get brought up are:

1. Pretty much every fleet of these type of vehicles are quite dated. I'm not sure if anyone currently manufactures them or there is just not the funds available to upgrade, but it seems to be prevalent throughout the "industry".

2. Today, mass transportation vehicles that carry as many people as these ducks do (30+) require multiple exit points. To my knowledge the ducks only have one point of egress. Consider if something happened on land, one exit is a problem there too. I understand this seems really unlikely as I believe the "power" of these is rather minimal and they don't go very fast. That still doesn't eliminate the risk of loss of life. Plenty have perished in slow speed crashed.

3. I was under the impression that the coast guard requires life jackets be worn by any child 13 and under on board any vessel that is "underway". Not real sure what allowed the tour company to circumvent that rule.

4. I would think that weather would be something that would be on the mind of any company that took people out on the lake for a living. My former boss has a condo facing that very lake, and when I spoke with him today, he was literally infuriated that they went out in the first place, that they essentially had no business being out there and anyone with half a brain would have known not to proceed. Take it for whatever that is worth. But having worked at golf courses, we had to make decisions based on weather realizing that getting patrons back to safety when dispersed over such a huge area isn't something that happens in moments. It takes foresight.

Now, I'm not saying that any of the above would have absolutely stopped this terrible event from occurring (well, except maybe the last one), but they were just questions that were brought in regards to things that will likely have to be addressed in the very near term.

Would seem to me the NTSB would get involved and mandate some type of change to those canopies.