“Mass Casualty Scene” in Branson duck boat sinking

[bcla]

We rode a Duck over in WI Dells and these amphibious car and land vehicles are from WWII. So if they were made in the 40's, they are very old. I do not know if age had anything to do with what happened, so sad.

It depends on the individual vehicle. Some are apparently made from originally WWII-era DUKW vehicles but others are newer vehicles. Their website is down (no surprise) but I remember reading that the original Ride the Ducks company has a manufacturing facility near Branson that makes new ones made to resemble a WWII version.

OK - found something here:

http://www.genesis-capital.com/news...rp-acquired-ride-the-ducks-international.aspx
The company operates in Branson, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and at Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta. It also owns a manufacturing plant east of Branson that produces 12 to 15 of the vehicles each year.​

 

[PollyannaMom]

I've been on them quite a bit (not the Branson ones). They do make me nervous when they go in the water. Here they let kids drive them when they're in the water.

We've been a couple of times, too (out of the Science Museum in Boston) and yes, DS got to "drive" one. I never felt unsafe, but both times were in perfect weather. - A storm would be a whole different story!

 

[sunshinehighway]

It's just such a sad thing but then to find out one family lost so many... there aren't words. The people on that boat (Besides the guide) were just enjoying a nice day out and that changed so quickly .

 

[kimblebee]

A news channel spoke to a female from the family that was devestated. She lost her children, her husband, her mil, her fil, her brother, her sil, and her nephew. She survived along with one of her nephews.

I hope she stays sedated for a long time until she can begin to process it.

 

[ols386]

So very tragic. Sending prayers for all.

 

[DebbieB]

I have been on them twice. Once around 1999 in Pittsburgh, I think it was an original. Then in Boston in 2009, they said that one was a new manufacture. I was at Station Square in Pittsburgh last weekend where the duck boats start, there were long lines. I saw at least 3 different ones, so it’s a big business.

I think I would think twice now. You are very close to the water.

 

[luvflorida]

...They do make me nervous when they go in the water. Here they let kids drive them when they're in the water.

We've been a couple of times, too (out of the Science Museum in Boston) and yes, DS got to "drive" one...

We've also been on the Duck Boats in Boston, quite a few times. And, yes, the driver always asks if any of the kids want to take a turn at "driving" the boat. It's usually when the boat is in the middle of the water away from other boats. The driver sits to the side and, if necessary, moves the steering wheel a bit to keep the boat going in the right direction. Our grandson (6 at the time) drove the boat for a bit, and then our daughter sat in the driver's seat with our younger grandson (not quite a year old at the time) on her lap while he drove the boat. But now...I don't think any of us will ever do a duck boat tour again.

Even though I felt safe on the duck boat, especially seeing that were life jackets available to everyone on the boat, and the weather was always nice whenever we took a tour, I'm also a worrier. I remember feeling safer when we were closer to shore. But, knowing those life jackets were right there, eased my mind.

If I knew then what I learned today about how those life jackets could possibly have caused some of the deaths, I never, ever would have gotten on a duck boat. I was watching a news report earlier today where someone was describing how a person on a duck boat could be wearing a life jacket and as the boat is sinking they could become trapped under the roof of the boat. The life jacket would keep the person floating above the water, but the roof of the boat would be pressing them down into the water. They would have no way to swim under and away from the boat.

Such a horrible, horrible, heartbreaking tragedy.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

We've also been on the Duck Boats in Boston, quite a few times. And, yes, the driver always asks if any of the kids want to take a turn at "driving" the boat. It's usually when the boat is in the middle of the water away from other boats. The driver sits to the side and, if necessary, moves the steering wheel a bit to keep the boat going in the right direction. Our grandson (6 at the time) drove the boat for a bit, and then our daughter sat in the driver's seat with our younger grandson (not quite a year old at the time) on her lap while he drove the boat. But now...I don't think any of us will ever do a duck boat tour again.

Even though I felt safe on the duck boat, especially seeing that were life jackets available to everyone on the boat, and the weather was always nice whenever we took a tour, I'm also a worrier. I remember feeling safer when we were closer to shore. But, knowing those life jackets were right there, eased my mind.

If I knew then what I learned today about how those life jackets could possibly have caused some of the deaths, I never, ever would have gotten on a duck boat. I was watching a news report earlier today where someone was describing how a person on a duck boat could be wearing a life jacket and as the boat is sinking they could become trapped under the roof of the boat. The life jacket would keep the person floating above the water, but the roof of the boat would be pressing them down into the water. They would have no way to swim under and away from the boat.

Such a horrible, horrible, heartbreaking tragedy.

I saw that report, too, about the life jackets and canvas roof and one pushing you up and one pulling you down and getting trapped underneath, and that is really awful to think about! I think earlier on the same channel they said someone on this boat had the presence of mind to disconnect the canvas and that probably saved a lot of lives.

 

[DisneyOma]

I’ll have to go back and look for it, but a severe storm warning was issued 20-30 minutes before the boat capsized. Certainly long enough to get everyone a life jacket. Those types of storm warnings are audibly transmitted over marine radios. I would think the Duck Boats would have to have their radios on to receive weather alerts when they are going in the water for a situation just like this.

Someone made a very bad judgment call, that's for certain.

I've worked and played on boats (of various sizes) for many years. Not sure what training they do for their crew, but it doesn't seem like it worked. When I was a crew member on a tour boat, we had a little bit of informal training. That was over 30 years ago, and I had hoped regulations had tightened up since then, but maybe not. While this will not keep me off boats (Do car accidents keep you out of your car? Plane crashes out of planes?) I bet this does change some people's minds about duck boats in general, when it was really just a bad decision by the captain.

 

[mom2rtk]

They actually interviewed the mother who lost all of her children from her hospital bed. It felt very wrong to be watching her pain like that. But then I suppose anyone who might have counseled her against it is probably dead now.

How terribly tragic.

 

[wgeo]

A news channel spoke to a female from the family that was devestated. She lost her children, her husband, her mil, her fil, her brother, her sil, and her nephew. She survived along with one of her nephews.

I hope she stays sedated for a long time until she can begin to process it.

I am usually very pro-media and getting the facts out. But this has bothered me for a very long time. I find it unconscionable that anyone would think it appropriate to interview someone who has just suffered through a tragedy, is STILL in the hospital and lost 9 members of their family. Why do they do this? Leave this poor woman alone and quit taking advantage of people when they are in an incredibly vulnerable state. I just hate that rush of news media trying to find someone who will do an interview who "lived" through the latest tragedy. Give these people time.

Sorry, steps off soap box.

This entire story is incredibly sad, and very scary when you see the videos of everyone else on the lake at the same time.

 

[Hikergirl]

I’m just hearing about this now, what a horrible tragedy.
I can’t get to the links, have they found all who are missing?

 

[bgirldeb]

I am usually very pro-media and getting the facts out. But this has bothered me for a very long time. I find it unconscionable that anyone would think it appropriate to interview someone who has just suffered through a tragedy, is STILL in the hospital and lost 9 members of their family. Why do they do this? Leave this poor woman alone and quit taking advantage of people when they are in an incredibly vulnerable state. I just hate that rush of news media trying to find someone who will do an interview who "lived" through the latest tragedy. Give these people time.
.

That’s so horrible. I don’t think I could even watch that. All I saw was their family photo, and I felt sick thinking about it. What a nightmare.



There have been some interesting posts coming out from weather forecasters, responding to the initial reports of the storm coming from “out of nowhere”.

One said that a Severe Thunderstorm Warning went out at about 6:30 PM and the boat launched at 6:45. Meteorologists had also been warning about the potential for this weather system for DAYS ahead of time.

Would I expect out of town vacationers to know about that? Absolutely not. However, the Duck Boat company should have been alert and aware and kept the customers and driver safe and out of the water.

There are also reports that a couple requested a refund from the Duck Boat when they saw the weather deteriorating, and probably ended up saving their lives. It was obvious that the storm wasn’t out of nowhere.

So sad.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

That’s so horrible. I don’t think I could even watch that. All I saw was their family photo, and I felt sick thinking about it. What a nightmare.



There have been some interesting posts coming out from weather forecasters, responding to the initial reports of the storm coming from “out of nowhere”.

One said that a Severe Thunderstorm Warning went out at about 6:30 PM and the boat launched at 6:45. Meteorologists had also been warning about the potential for this weather system for DAYS ahead of time.

Would I expect out of town vacationers to know about that? Absolutely not. However, the Duck Boat company should have been alert and aware and kept the customers and driver safe and out of the water.

There are also reports that a couple requested a refund from the Duck Boat when they saw the weather deteriorating, and probably ended up saving their lives. It was obvious that the storm wasn’t out of nowhere.

So sad.

I saw another report that said the couple who asked for the refund actually had tickets for the Branson Belle, not the ducks. I’m not sure which is correct.

 

[lifesavacation]

I am usually very pro-media and getting the facts out. But this has bothered me for a very long time. I find it unconscionable that anyone would think it appropriate to interview someone who has just suffered through a tragedy, is STILL in the hospital and lost 9 members of their family. Why do they do this? Leave this poor woman alone and quit taking advantage of people when they are in an incredibly vulnerable state. I just hate that rush of news media trying to find someone who will do an interview who "lived" through the latest tragedy. Give these people time.

Sorry, steps off soap box.

This entire story is incredibly sad, and very scary when you see the videos of everyone else on the lake at the same time.

We lost my brother-in-law in a winter accident and within 3 hours we had calls from the media. They phrased it that they would use the situation to help save lives. Anyways, I found it terribly intrusive and disgusting then and find it worse in this case. The media uses human tragedy to make money. They’re a bunch of vultures.

 

[kimblebee]

I am usually very pro-media and getting the facts out. But this has bothered me for a very long time. I find it unconscionable that anyone would think it appropriate to interview someone who has just suffered through a tragedy, is STILL in the hospital and lost 9 members of their family. Why do they do this? Leave this poor woman alone and quit taking advantage of people when they are in an incredibly vulnerable state. I just hate that rush of news media trying to find someone who will do an interview who "lived" through the latest tragedy. Give these people time.

Sorry, steps off soap box.

This entire story is incredibly sad, and very scary when you see the videos of everyone else on the lake at the same time.

She said she wanted to be interviewed because she knew other family and friends would be watching and asking how she was. That way, she was talking to everyone all at once.

I totally agree with you, I thought it was ghoulish to talk to her until I heard she wanted to be interviewed.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

So horrible, my heart goes out to all families involved.

 

[penn19]

They actually interviewed the mother who lost all of her children from her hospital bed. It felt very wrong to be watching her pain like that. But then I suppose anyone who might have counseled her against it is probably dead now.

How terribly tragic.

I Feel the same way. No way should anyone have allowed her to be interviewed. It felt wrong to be watching it. Honestly? If it were me, I’d probably just end it all. I cannot even fathom coming back from that. Ever.

 

[katie01]

I Feel the same way. No way should anyone have allowed her to be interviewed. It felt wrong to be watching it. Honestly? If it were me, I’d probably just end it all. I cannot even fathom coming back from that. Ever.

I can’t even imagine the crushing grief and pain from that either. It’s just too much to bear. I’d imagine if anything saves her, it will be wanting to be there for her nephew. My heart breaks for both of them

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I am usually very pro-media and getting the facts out. But this has bothered me for a very long time. I find it unconscionable that anyone would think it appropriate to interview someone who has just suffered through a tragedy, is STILL in the hospital and lost 9 members of their family. Why do they do this? Leave this poor woman alone and quit taking advantage of people when they are in an incredibly vulnerable state. I just hate that rush of news media trying to find someone who will do an interview who "lived" through the latest tragedy. Give these people time.

Sorry, steps off soap box.

This entire story is incredibly sad, and very scary when you see the videos of everyone else on the lake at the same time.

It's almost like it shouldn't be allowed, the way others can't make legal decisions if they're not in their right frame of mind. There's no way she was in her right frame of mind hours after losing nine members of her immediate family and her own near drowning! They did a much better job in Thailand shielding the boys from the cave from the press than we've done here, for sure.