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Duck boat sinks in Branson, at least 13 dead

Celery Man

By Celery Man
in Daily Texan

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BlueGreySky

BlueGreySky 1,032

Posted
Posted
One family had 11 members on board, 9 died. 
Ugh.


Pretty sure that’s an Indianapolis family. Friends of a friend.

Fuck.

My wife and son rode that boat on her family reunion at that lake 2 years ago. Just sickening. Especially when the weather channel and others continue to show video of the boat beginning to sink.
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Brew

Brew 3,049

Posted
Posted

Sounds like they missed their window to go because of issues on the ramp and no one was smart enough to call it off. I’m sure it went down fast, but it’s amazing that at the first sign it was going down more people were not getting out as quickly as possible. However, anyone with a life jacket on inside when it went under was fucked, because they would have been pinned to the roof. There were people jumping in off of the larger dinner cruise boat to help from reports. Ripley’s is going to get bent over on this one rightfully so.

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WhatTheBuck

WhatTheBuck 28,804

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Posted
53 minutes ago, Brothahorn said:

Saw somewhere that those 9 family members were on the wrong boat. How screwed up is that?

I'd say everyone on that boat was on the wrong boat. 

Couple things I heard on the news not mentioned here: They are required to have life preservers on the duck boats but the passengers are not required to wear them. The captain reportedly unhitched the canopy at some point which they said may have saved some lives. 

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Cody2422

Cody2422 279

Posted
Posted

That's obviously a big boat where the video is being shot. Why didn't that boat captain help shield the duck boats from the wind. We used to run offshore in the wash of bigger boats. Helps take a lot of the chop off the waves. Just seems like that boats crew could've done something to help the smaller boats. It was painfully obvious that they were in trouble


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clapclapclap

clapclapclap 9,000

Posted
Posted (edited)

Duck boat tragedy in Missouri claims 9 members of Indiana family, officials say

Nine members of an Indianapolis family were among the 17 people who died when an amphibious duck boat capsized Thursday night during a severe thunderstorm in Branson, Missouri.

"They were very loved. It’s a huge family on all sides," family member Ingrid Coleman Douglas told IndyStar on Friday night from her home in Indianapolis. "It’s unimaginable. I would never have thought I would have lost this number of people this way."

Eleven members of the Coleman family — three generations — were in Branson on a vacation. Two survived the tragedy, one adult and one child.

Coleman Douglas identified the following members of her family who were killed: Belinda Coleman, Glenn Coleman, Horace “Butch” Coleman, Irvin Raymond Coleman and Angela Coleman, who are all adults, and children Evan Coleman, Reece Coleman, Maxwell Coleman and Arya Coleman.

Both Coleman Douglas and Kyrie Rose, whose husband is a member of the Coleman family, told IndyStar that the family typically went on vacation together once a year.

"They were definitely a very close-knit, loving family,” Rose said. “It’s really difficult to place an emotion on it. All of our hearts just hurt.”

636677168171259409-coleman-family.jpg?wi

The family members who survived were Tia Coleman and her nephew.

Tia Coleman speaks about tragedy

Tia Coleman, speaking from a hospital bed near Branson, told FOX59 that the captain on the duck boat told tourists that they didn't need to wear the life jackets.

“My husband would want me to say this. He would want the world to know that on this boat we were on, the captain had told us, 'Don’t worry about grabbing the life jackets — you won’t need them.’ So nobody grabbed them as we listened to the captain as he told us to stay seated,” Tia Coleman said during the phone interview with FOX59. “However in doing that, when it was time to grab them, it was too late, and I believe that a lot of people could have been spared.”

Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader said there were life jackets in the boat but said only that it was unclear how the safety equipment was used. He said the captain of the boat, who has 16 years of experience, survived, but the driver did not...

 

...The boat sank in 40 feet of water and then rolled on its wheels into a deeper area with 80 feet of water....

636677022904541872-AP-APTOPIX-Missouri-B

 

'Death traps': Federal officials have warned about dangers from duck boats for two decades

...One issue with the boats is their canopies. The Coast Guard requires life jackets on boats, but leaves it to the vessel's master to tell passengers when to wear the jackets during hazardous situations. The NTSB recommended passengers not wear life jackets on boats that have canopies because when the vehicles sink, the life jackets carry passengers into the canopy, preventing escape. 

The NTSB, which makes non-binding safety recommendations, has urged the removal of canopies from the vehicles to reduce the risk of drowning, but they often remain as on the vehicle in Branson.

The agency has also recommended the highway administration regulate the vehicles for over-the-road travel with requirements for passenger seat belts, while saying that passengers shouldn't wear seat belts while the vehicle is in the water....

 

Edited by clapclapclap
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Lhorn

Lhorn 4,968

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, woohorn said:

Can you turn around in waves like that? Too frequent, so you'll get hit broadside and swamped.

ThAts my thought too. They were screwed. Those waves hitting them broad side would have swamped them fast. 

If others coraborate the story that they were told not to bother with life vests , then ouch!  Not that the duck boat operator could be any more screwed than they are.  Terrible. Those poor people died in a perfect storm of stupidity and negligence by the duck boat operator. 

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Coelenterate Fuccboi

Coelenterate Fuccboi 13,119

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45 minutes ago, Lhorn said:

ThAts my thought too. They were screwed. Those waves hitting them broad side would have swamped them fast. 

If others coraborate the story that they were told not to bother with life vests , then ouch!  Not that the duck boat operator could be any more screwed than they are.  Terrible. Those poor people died in a perfect storm of stupidity and negligence by the duck boat operator. 

Depression and guilt may end up claiming more lives before this is all over.

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smuggs

smuggs 9,353

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Lhorn said:

ThAts my thought too. They were screwed. Those waves hitting them broad side would have swamped them fast. 

Watch the video again. At 2:30 the driver of the other duck boat, the one that made it, initiates a U-turn with no problem at all. That’s what makes this whole thing even more ridiculous. Quick spin of the wheel and these people are pulled up onto the bank of the island that is within a stone’s throw.

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LongestHorn

LongestHorn 759

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Posted

At what point do you realize you you have to prepare to enter the water?  Take off your shoes, socks, shit filled pants, put on your PFD, and start lashing your children to your torso.  

God bless the crazy basterds who attempted a water rescue from the showboat.  Take off your clothes, grab a rescue bouy on a rope, and dive in.  Never approach a drowning victim as they will drown you both.  Throw the bouy at them, but stay with the line, and the folks on the boat can pull them to safety.  

fucking nightmare fuel.  Im old and fat now (bouyant) but have enough water safety instruction and poor snap decision-making to get myself drowned if I was watching this develop over dessert.  

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jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 46,205

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Posted
10 hours ago, Cody2422 said:

That's obviously a big boat where the video is being shot. Why didn't that boat captain help shield the duck boats from the wind. We used to run offshore in the wash of bigger boats. Helps take a lot of the chop off the waves. Just seems like that boats crew could've done something to help the smaller boats. It was painfully obvious that they were in trouble


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Because they'd get fired.

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RPM

RPM 26,358

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Posted

I wonder if there were any mechanical problems. Even in perfect conditions those things are underpowered and have crappy handling. Throw in an underperforming powertrain and they had zero chance. The canopy was another deathtrap. Whoever built that thing should pucker hard. The operator isn't the only one who'll wind up getting sued.

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yoshi

yoshi 137

Posted
Posted

Tablerock is pretty deep lake.  I took my dad's boat out there about 20 years ago and remember the depth finder reading 100+ ft in a lot of places that weren't even far from shore.   Doesn't surprise me that this boat ended up at 80ft.

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CoTex

CoTex 1,162

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Human nature when you’re in an emergency on a boat is to stay sheltered in the interior - “we’re safe in here - the bad water is out there.”  

Probably you couldnt have pried the passengers out of that duck boat to swim in the storm, even though it’s apparent to all of us that the boat is a death trap.  Add in screaming panicked women and children and imagine the hell on the interior of that thing.  

Grab something floaty, kick off your shoes and enter the water.  Wind and waves suck but just float for 10 mins or so and you live.

The captain should have never entered the lake but , after he did, full throttle and beach that mf’er, anywhere.  

You don’t need a weather report - use your brain and look out the damned window.

After the exit is submerged - there is no abondoned ship.  You’re going to meet Davy Jones.

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CoTex

CoTex 1,162

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Look at the sky at the beginning and then watch the wind speed increase around 0:45.  My guess is it increases from about 20 knots to 40.  

If you’ve ever been on a sailboat in a squall when it goes from 20-40, it gets very difficult to talk and hear.   Somewhere around 40 you are just surviving for the first 5 minutes.

G650 - what’s your take?

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CoTex

CoTex 1,162

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8 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Yup, if I’m ther with my kids and I know there’s life jackets, I’d like to think that I’d make the choice to grab them and bail while I still have the ability to chose. 

In the boat, you are in trouble. In that water with no floatation, you’re in trouble. 

In the boat you’re going to die.  In the water you’re going to have to fight to survive but, you have a chance.

 

Add in fats, olds and children and it gets bad.  I have an 11 year old that is very athletic, and probably swims 90 days a year, but she would struggle in that, mentally as much as anything.

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Coelenterate Fuccboi

Coelenterate Fuccboi 13,119

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1 hour ago, yoshi said:

There was a driver and captain.   The driver drowned and the captain survived.

Interesting. Every other small passenger vessel I’ve seen has a Captain (driver) and a deckhand. Typically only larger vessels have someone handling the boat other than the Captain. Then again I’ve also seen conflicting reports on whether Captain Bob was actually “driving” or not.

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CoTex

CoTex 1,162

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Probably the “captain” had a uscg master license of some sort and knew better.  Probably the “driver” was a spicoli type who did exactly what he was told and was shitting his pants.

 

when you charge $30 a shot, each 30 person trip is worth $900.  8 of those a day and you better not get off schedule or bossman will be pissed.  

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austingirl

austingirl 2,192

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This story has been weighing on me the last few days. Those poor people. And the woman who lost most of her family? I can't even imagine.

Couple of weeks ago we were at the lake and I jumped off the boat into the water just for a minute, to cool off. My 6-yo, wearing a life jacket, wanted to get in too, but as soon as he did he lost faith in his life jacket and started to try to climb on me. Now, I'm no Olympian, but I'm a competent swimmer and this was not an emergency situation, and I still had to grab on to the boat ladder to keep him from pushing me under. In still water. Those poor people didn't have a chance.

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yoshi

yoshi 137

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5 hours ago, CoTex said:

Probably the “captain” had a uscg master license of some sort and knew better.  Probably the “driver” was a spicoli type who did exactly what he was told and was shitting his pants.

 

when you charge $30 a shot, each 30 person trip is worth $900.  8 of those a day and you better not get off schedule or bossman will be pissed.  

It costs $30 a person to ride those duckboats?  What a ripoff.  

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Coelenterate Fuccboi

Coelenterate Fuccboi 13,119

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9 hours ago, CoTex said:

Probably the “captain” had a uscg master license of some sort and knew better.  Probably the “driver” was a spicoli type who did exactly what he was told and was shitting his pants.

 

when you charge $30 a shot, each 30 person trip is worth $900.  8 of those a day and you better not get off schedule or bossman will be pissed.  

Whoever is at the wheel, while in the water, has to have a USCG license.

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smuggs

smuggs 9,353

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13 hours ago, CoTex said:

Probably the “driver” was a spicoli type who did exactly what he was told and was shitting his pants.

Well I'll tell ya Stu, I did do battle some humongous waves! But you know, just like I told the guy on ABC - danger is my business!

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RPM

RPM 26,358

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, CoTex said:

Probably the “captain” had a uscg master license of some sort and knew better.  

 

8 hours ago, Casual Encounter said:

Whoever is at the wheel, while in the water, has to have a USCG license.

I'd be surprised if anybody working there had a USCG license.

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aggie08

aggie08 21,547

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On 7/22/2018 at 10:02 AM, CoTex said:

After the exit is submerged - there is no abondoned ship.  You’re going to meet Davy Jones.

That was basically my thought every time I've done helicopter underwater escape training: if a helicopter goes down in the ocean, and the windows are below the water line, we're all going to die.  I'm boat savvy and a strong swimmer, but that shit is something else.  It seems simple: the window, your escape, is right against your arm; just follow it out.  But when you factor in the disorientation (even when they don't flip you upside down), the vest pinning you against the structure, people panicking and grasping around you, and trying to work quickly instead of smoothly, it's a tough situation even for the well-trained.  And that's in a clear pool with divers on standby and none of the sinking forces acting against you after the initial drop.

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El Diablo

El Diablo 4,232

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7 minutes ago, aggie08 said:

That was basically my thought every time I've done helicopter underwater escape training: if a helicopter goes down in the ocean, and the windows are below the water line, we're all going to die.  I'm boat savvy and a strong swimmer, but that shit is something else.  It seems simple: the window, your escape, is right against your arm; just follow it out.  But when you factor in the disorientation (even when they don't flip you upside down), the vest pinning you against the structure, people panicking and grasping around you, and trying to work quickly instead of smoothly, it's a tough situation even for the well-trained.  And that's in a clear pool with divers on standby and none of the sinking forces acting against you after the initial drop.

Yes and that's with people who are presumably physically able to perform that task. That boats passengers?

It simply never should have been underway in those conditions and that falls on the Captain.

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Coelenterate Fuccboi

Coelenterate Fuccboi 13,119

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30 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

It sounds like a life vest is a crap shoot at best in a sinking vehicle.

I watched a video once of a vessel going down very quickly. One man put on his life jacket, waited until the deck had sunk close the water level, and jumped. His life jacket got caught on the vessel’s rigging and drug him down. I don’t think he resurfaced.

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RPM

RPM 26,358

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Ride the Ducks has scrubbed their website except for a statement about the accident. I did find this on a Branson Tourism site:

Quote

Good To Know
from Ashley, one of our Branson Travel Experts
There are no restrooms on board.
Tour will last 60 - 70 mins with about 30 mins of that on water.
Large Duck gift shop.
Located near Walmart on Hwy. 76.
Ducks are not fully enclosed.
30 minutes of this tour is spent on Table Rock Lake.
Kids get to drive the boat!

I see a couple things wrong there. The one that sank looked to be fully enclosed and letting a kid play "Captain" seems like a disaster waiting to happen.

Pretty sure safety and liability were not at the forefront of their business model.

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jimmyjazz

jimmyjazz 46,205

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49 minutes ago, Casual Encounter said:

I watched a video once of a vessel going down very quickly. One man put on his life jacket, waited until the deck had sunk close the water level, and jumped. His life jacket got caught on the vessel’s rigging and drug him down. I don’t think he resurfaced.

Sounds like it might be better just to hold on to a life jacket and take your chances.

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deft

deft 6,882

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Posted
Ride the Ducks has scrubbed their website except for a statement about the accident. I did find this on a Branson Tourism site:
Good To Know
from Ashley, one of our Branson Travel Experts
There are no restrooms on board.
Tour will last 60 - 70 mins with about 30 mins of that on water.
Large Duck gift shop.
Located near Walmart on Hwy. 76.
Ducks are not fully enclosed.
30 minutes of this tour is spent on Table Rock Lake.
Kids get to drive the boat!
I see a couple things wrong there. The one that sank looked to be fully enclosed and letting a kid play "Captain" seems like a disaster waiting to happen.
Pretty sure safety and liability were not at the forefront of their business model.



Dude, really (on the second bolding)? You think in those choppy waters they’re gonna say “shit this is scary, which kid wants to take the wheel?”
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