Death-trap ducks strike again

[Inky_Wretch]

At least six dead and dozens missing in Branson as an amphibious vehicle capsized.

Multiple fatalities involving capsized "Ride the Ducks" boat

In 1999, 13 people died in Arkansas when one of these sank.

 

[Pilot]

Title here seems off key to me. 11 dead now.

My family had vacationed a lot in the area and I’ve been on a too-small boat in some pretty scary lake situations, so maybe it strikes closer to home for me than others. (Though somehow we never went to the actual lake where this happened, and certainly never faced any situations this dire.)

Here’s a video of the sinking. Not easy to watch, but it’s not graphic by itself.

Eyewitness video: Joplin couple on Branson Belle saw duck boat disaster happen

 

[poindexter]

Vertical video

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Title here seems off key to me. 11 dead now.

My family had vacationed a lot in the area and I’ve been on a too-small boat in some pretty scary lake situations, so maybe it strikes closer to home for me than others. (Though somehow we never went to the actual lake where this happened, and certainly never faced any situations this dire.)

Here’s a video of the sinking. Not easy to watch, but it’s not graphic by itself.

Eyewitness video: Joplin couple on Branson Belle saw duck boat disaster happen

I knew* somebody on the one in Hot Springs. I’ve called them death traps ever since.

And we are supposed to go out on the Belle with the in-laws on Saturday night.

* - To be clear, I didn’t know him well. More of a friend of a friend who I talked to several times over the years.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Title here seems off key to me. 11 dead now.

My family had vacationed a lot in the area and I’ve been on a too-small boat in some pretty scary lake situations, so maybe it strikes closer to home for me than others. (Though somehow we never went to the actual lake where this happened, and certainly never faced any situations this dire.)

Here’s a video of the sinking. Not easy to watch, but it’s not graphic by itself.

Eyewitness video: Joplin couple on Branson Belle saw duck boat disaster happen

The opening of that article ...

Jeff and Jennie Carr hoped their first time visiting Table Rock Lake would be a memorable one for their 15th wedding anniversary.

Instead, the Joplin couple watched in horror from inside the Showboat Branson Belle as wind-whipped waves swamped a duck boat filled with passengers.

It's not memorable?

 

[Buck]

10 years from now a friend asks, ‘What did you guys do for your 15th wedding anniversary?
Jeff: I don’t remember. Jennie?
Jennie: I don’t even remember. Probably went to Olive Garden.

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Death toll at 17 now.

 

[poindexter]

How many would have been in that duck boat?

 

[Donny in his element]

31

 

[lakefront]

I have not read the story but have been on one in Boston, for sightseeing purposes, not a thrill ride. WTF was that even in the water in a storm? I hope this does not lead to banning the boats.

 

[Vombatus]

Keep thinking of this:

 

[Inky_Wretch]

I have not read the story but have been on one in Boston, for sightseeing purposes, not a thrill ride. WTF was that even in the water in a storm? I hope this does not lead to banning the boats.

There were storm watches and warnings posted pretty much all day as the front moved across the region. Everybody knew it was coming.

 

[BurnsWhenIPee]

Ugh. There were 11 members of one family on board and 9 of them died. One of the 2 survivors was a 13-year-old.

Lots of questions to be answered. Read where the severe thunderstorm warning was issued about 30 minutes before it went down - did they come to shore as quickly as possible? Reports are the windows were closed, making escape almost impossible. And the life jackets were stored on the ceiling of the boat. Is that accessible enough?

 

[Inky_Wretch]

Ugh. There were 11 members of one family on board and 9 of them died. One of the 2 survivors was a 13-year-old.

Lots of questions to be answered. Read where the severe thunderstorm warning was issued about 30 minutes before it went down - did they come to shore as quickly as possible? Reports are the windows were closed, making escape almost impossible. And the life jackets were stored on the ceiling of the boat. Is that accessible enough?

The windows are plastic curtains. They usually snap shut. As for the life jackets, those won’t help if you’re trapped under the canopy and can’t get out.

 

[Vombatus]

Capsizing usually means completely listing to one side, taking on even more water through the windows, which continues the roll until you are completely upside down.

Now, imagine being inside there and trying to escape: 31 bodies flailing among each other during a continued onward rush of incoming water, and you don’t even have on a life vest yet. Once you get one, IF you get one, you’re somehow got to find a door or window to get out of (while 30 others are trying to do the same).

 

[poindexter]

Horrendous way to die.

 

[tapintoamerica]

Whoever runs the boats is about to be sued out of existence. Tebow willing.

 

[tapintoamerica]

The Ride the Ducks venture is owned by the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not people. And as of this moment, they haven’t addressed the matter on their website.

 

[Vombatus]

The Ride the Ducks venture is owned by the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not people. And as of this moment, they haven’t addressed the matter on their website.

That’s hard to believe.

 

[BurnsWhenIPee]

The Ride the Ducks venture is owned by the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not people. And as of this moment, they haven’t addressed the matter on their website.

I believe they just recently bought Ride the Ducks. Guess that honeymoon is over.