boston duck tour death

A look back at past deadly duck tour incidents

From a 1999 accident on an Arkansas lake to a 2016 crash in Boston.

Families are gathering in Branson, Missouri, to mourn the deaths of 17 people -- including children -- who were killed when a tourist duck boat capsized in a lake during severe thunderstorms Thursday night.

The crash in Table Rock Lake isn't the first time a duck boat tour has turned deadly. From a 1999 accident on an Arkansas lake to a 2016 crash in Boston, here are some previous fatal accidents involving duck boats in the United States:

1999: Arkansas

Thirteen people were killed when a duck boat with 21 people on board sank on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1999, the National Transportation Safety Board said.

The boat was about 7 minutes into its tour when it sank by its stern and plunged 60 feet to the bottom of the lake, the NTSB said. Seven passengers and the operator escaped.

The NTSB determined the cause of the accident to be inadequate maintenance of the vessel, which was built by the U.S. Army in 1944.

(MORE: 13 dead, including children in Missouri duck boat accident)

(more: how the missouri duck boat capsize unfolded amid weather warnings), 2010: philadelphia.

A tugboat-guided barge hit a duck tour boat on the Delaware River in 2010, killing Szaboolcs Prem and Doran Schwendtner, two Hungarian students who were visiting the U.S., ABC station WPVI in Philadelphia reported.

The tugboat pilot, Matthew Devlin, had been talking on his cellphone at the time and was sentenced to one year in prison, WPVI reported.

2015: Philadelphia

Elizabeth Karnicki, a tourist from Texas, was walking in Philadelphia during the evening rush hour when she was hit and killed by a duck boat in May 2015, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

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Karnicki's husband argued duck boats have large blind spots causing the drivers to not see pedestrians; he sued the company and the case was settled, The Kansas City Star reported.

2015: Seattle

Five college students were killed and many others were injured in a duck boat crash in Seattle in September 2015.

The boat was driving on Aurora Bridge when the axle broke, causing the driver to lose control and collide with a bus carrying college students, The Associated Press said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Ride the Ducks International violated the law by not telling regulators of a safety defect in the duck boats' front axle and by not issuing a recall, the AP reported.

Ride the Ducks International agreed to pay penalties, calling it "an unprecedented failure," the AP reported in 2016.

2016: Boston

Allison Warmuth was riding a scooter in Boston when she was hit and killed by a duck tour boat in 2016, according to ABC affiliate WCVB in Boston.

After the crash, duck boats in the city added second workers to all its tours, reported WCVB. The boats also added new equipment including an extra camera to the tours and banned drivers from narrating during the rides, WCVB said.

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Deadly duck tour boat crashes date back nearly two decades

As families and friends mourn the deaths of 17 people killed on a tourist duck boat in Branson, Missouri, the National Transportation Safety Board is beginning its investigation into what caused the crash.

>>Related: 9 members of one family among 17 killed in duck boat accident on lake in Branson, Missouri 

The tragedy at Table Rock Lake wasn’t the first time a duck amphibious vehicle had been involved in a deadly crash.

Since 1999, 40 people have been killed in deadly crashes involving amphibious tour buses, according to The Associated Press .

>> Read more trending news

1999: Arkansas

“Miss Majestic” sank May 1, 1999 near Hot Springs, Arkansas in Lake Hamilton.

The boat was only seven minutes into its tour when it sank by the stern and went to the bottom of the lake, according to the Associated Press .

Thirteen people were killed.

The boat had to be hoisted out of the lake by a crane.

The NTSB report found that roofs or canopies on the duck boats put passengers in danger, because passengers could become trapped underneath them -- especially if they were wearing life jackets, because of their natural buoyancy.

The cause of the accident was determined to be inadequate maintenance of the vehicle, built by the U.S. Army in 1944.

2003: Boston

Rosemary Hamelburg, 63, fell backward off a duck boat into a parking lot while taking a photo on a duck boat in Boston.

She died four days later.

Her family filed a wrongful death lawsuit. Her family and lawyers said the duck boat operation failed to follow its own safety policies on board the Boston Duck Tours Boat.

The company settled with Hamelburg’s estate for $425,000.

2010: Philadelphia 

A collision between a duck boat and a stalled tugboat on the Delaware River in Philadelphia caused the duck boat to sink.

Two students from Hungary were killed and over 25 people hurt, WPVI reports.

The NTSB determined that the tugboat operator was distracted by talking to family members on his cellphone and laptop.

The duck boat was also found at fault -- investigators found the boat had maintenance issues and faulted the captain for anchoring in an active boat channel.

2015: Philadelphia 

Elizabeth Karnicki, 68, of Beaumont, Texas, was hit and killed as she crossed a busy Philadelphia street at rush hour in May 2015.

Her husband argued duck boats have large blind spots and drivers cannot see pedestrians.

According to the Kansas City Star , he sued the company but eventually settled.

2015: Seattle

Five college students were killed and 69 others hurt after a duck boat collided with a charter bus on Seattle’s Aurora Bridge in September 2015.

The NTSB determined that an axle on the duck boat broke, causing the driver to lose control and slam into the charter bus, carrying a group of international students.

NTSB investigators determined that Ride the Ducks International, the duck boat parent company, violated law by not telling regulators about a safety defect on the duck boat’s axle and failing to issue a recall.

The company agreed to pay all penalties.

2016: Boston

Allison Warmuth, 28, was hit and killed by a duck boat while riding a motor scooter in downtown Boston in 2016, NBC reports .

NTSB investigators found that the duck boat driver took his eyes off the road to point out landmarks along the tour before the accident.

This prompted the Massachusetts legislature to pass a new law prohibiting drivers from serving as a tour guide and driver.

The duck boats were also required to add new safety equipment, including blind spot cameras.

The  Associated Press contributed to this article

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Crime & Safety

Boston duck tours comments on missouri tragedy that killed 17, seventeen people, including children, died in thursday's tragedy..

Mike Carraggi , Patch Staff

BOSTON, MA — The company behind Boston's Duck Boat Tours issued a statement following a duck boat tragedy in Missouri that resulted in 17 dead , including children. Boston Duck Tours expressed support for the families of those who were lost, while reassuring the public that its iconic Boston Duck Boats only go into the Charles River when conditions are safe to do so.

"Our thoughts go out to the families of all those involved in yesterday's tragedy in Branson, MO.," Boston Duck Tours said Friday morning, hours before four more bodies were recovered from scene, raising the fatality total to 17.

>>>Read: More Than A Dozen Dead In Missouri Duck Boat Tragedy

Find out what's happening in Boston with free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The incident is currently under investigation, so it would not be prudent for us to comment or speculate as to what may have caused the incident, but extreme weather seems to have been a major factor," Boston Duck Tours said.

The company said it always monitors weather and do not allow the boats to go into the Charles River "if there is lightning in the area of conditions are forecasted to exceed our operating parameters set by the US Coast Guard."

Boston Duck Tours instituted more safety measures following a 2016 crash that killed a 28-year-old woman who was riding a moped.

Photo by Jenna Fisher, Patch

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'safety is no. 1 priority,' boston duck boat operator says after fatal accident in missouri.

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The company that runs duck boat tours in Boston is speaking out about the fatal duck boat incident in Missouri that claimed the lives of 17 people.

A duck boat packed with tourists capsized on a Missouri lake and sank in high winds in the tourist town of Branson.

Authorities blamed stormy weather for the accident Thursday evening on Table Rock Lake. Winds at the time were blowing as hard as 65 mph (105 kph), according to the National Weather Service.

Boston Duck Tours said it continuously monitors weather locations at its locations.

"We do not allow our ducks to go into the Charles River if there is lightning in the area or if conditions are forecasted to exceed our operating parameters set by the U.S. Coast Guard,” said Bob Schwartz, director of marketing and sales for Boston Duck Tours.

Schwartz said the tours do not operate if winds are over 25 knots or waves are over 1 foot.

"The safety of our guests and our employees is our No. 1 priority and will continue to work closely with our partners at the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Public Utilities, Boston Hackney Division and Department of Transportation to ensure we maintain these safety standards," he said.

Boston Duck Tours Return Under New Rules Following Fatal Collision

By katelyn flint • published march 21, 2017 • updated on march 21, 2017 at 6:23 am.

Boston Duck Tours hit the streets for the 23rd season Tuesday with new regulations in place after a young woman was killed by a duck boat near the common last year. 

Two tour guides will be seen on each duck boat, one to operate and the other to give the tour. 

This is a voluntary change, according to the company, who made the announcement over the summer. 

It comes after the death of 28-year-old Alison Warmuth, who was killed in a collision with a duck boat in April. 

Her death prompted the filing of legislation calling for two operators and also, if passed, the addition of sensors and cameras on each duck boat. 

Each year the tour vehicles carry about 600,000 guests a season. 

The company had planned to train and hire up to 50 more employees to be in place for this season. 

In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.

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They're marking the start of the season by giving free rides to Boston residents. 

Those free rides are for Boston residents Tuesday until Friday at 9, 9:30, and 10. a.m. Residents will need to provide an ID showing they live in Boston. 

This article tagged under:

RMV: Duck Boat Driver Had Lengthy Driving Record, Numerous Violations.

By alysha palumbo and ally donnelly and marc fortier • published may 2, 2016 • updated on may 3, 2016 at 4:18 pm.

The driver of the duck boat that collided with a motorized scooter on Saturday, killing the woman who was driving it, had a lengthy driving record featuring numerous violations, according to information provided by the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

The driving record includes 10 speeding violations, one accident, and several more minor violations over a 22-year period. In all, 38 incidents are listed dating back to 1994.

The driver, identified as Victor Tavares by the RMV, has had his license revoked indefinitely, which the DOT said is standard operating procedure for a fatal accident. Tavares did have a valid license to operate the duck boat at the time of the accident.

In a statement, Boston Duck Tours says the company regularly obtains information from the RMV regarding drivers, including when they're hired, and say his most recent driving record check was in March.

"Given the discrepancies between the information we received from the DMV and the information reported, we will be contacting the respective agencies... and we will provide any updated information," the statement read.

Allison Warmuth, 28, was killed when the motorized scooter she was driving collided with a Boston Duck Tours vehicle Saturday on Beacon Hill. A male passenger on the scooter suffered minor injuries. No one on the tour was hurt.

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Boston Duck Tours issued a statement Monday defending the company's safety record in the wake of calls from some corners to ban duck boats from city streets altogether.

"For 22 years, the people of Boston have accepted Boston Duck Tours as part of the community. We value this unique relationship and take safety very seriously," Boston Duck Tours CEO Cindy Brown said.

Brown said Boston Duck Tours have carried more than 10 million guests since 1994, and its drivers go through a "rigorous" 8 to 10 week training period focusing on the operation of the vehicles and safety procedures. All drivers are also subject to random drug testing.

She said all drivers must hold a Class B Commercial Driver's License, a Boston Police Hackney Sightseeing License, a Cambridge Jitney License, a United States Coast Guard License and must be trained in first aid and CPR.

All duck boats are inspected annually by the Coast Guard and the Department of Public Utilities and daily by Boston Duck Tours mechanics.

"Safety has always been our number one priority," Brown said.

In the last five years, there have been several deadly duck boat accidents across the country, but this is a first for the Boston company that started tours in the city.

Saturday's accident remains under investigation by police, but so far no charges have been brought against the tour driver.

Philadelphia attorney Robert Mongeluzzi said the accident could have been avoided and he's asking that duck boats be banned across the country.

"This proves again that duck boats are dangerous on land and on water," he said.

Mongeluzzi represented the families of victims in two deadly accidents in Philadelphia.

In 2010, two tourists drowned after a disabled "Ride the Ducks" boat was run down by a barge. Last year, a woman from Texas was hit and killed by also by a "Ride the Ducks" boat while crossing a street in Philadelphia.

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh is also speaking out as police continue to investigate the tragic accident.

"I think that this is still under investigation this case, we'll see what happens and if an action has to be taken we'll take an action," Walsh said.

Walsh said while some may question why World War II-era amphibious vehicles make sense in a city with tight, busy streets and older infrastructure like Boston, he said there are 18 wheelers in the city every day.

"We know we don't have a big city, we have a small city with small roads, so we ask people to be very careful," he said.

But as to whether it makes sense to have the duck tour drivers both giving the tour and driving the vehicle, Walsh wasn't ready to say whether that could have played a role in this accident.

"This case hasn't been fully vetted through yet, so until I see a final report of what exactly happened here, then I'll be able to make more comment on it," he said.

The Coast Guard says it last inspected the Duck Boat involved in the fatal accident on March 17, 2015. It passed inspection at that time.

1 killed, 1 hurt in duck tour boat crash in downtown Boston

A woman was killed after being struck by a duck tour boat in downtown Boston Saturday morning.

Police said a duck boat with 30 people onboard struck the woman, who was riding a motorized scooter, at the intersection of Charles Street and Beacon Street. The scooter then became stuck underneath the duck boat.

"It’s an unfortunate accident, it appears both vehicles were on Charles Street on their way up towards the State House on Beacon," Commissioner William Evans said.

Both people on the scooter were taken to Mass General Hospital. The driver, a woman in her 20s, was pronounced dead. Her boyfriend, who was her passenger, is expected to be OK. Both of them were wearing helmets.

The crash is under investigation and police said it has not been ruled a homicide yet.

The identities of both victims have not been released.

Statement from Boston Duck Tours:

(Copyright (c) 2016 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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Woman driving scooter dies after being struck by duck boat

The duck boat Penelope Pru was stopped at a red light on Charles Street waiting to head up Beacon Hill with a load of tourists on board. Just ahead, also waiting to turn, was a motor scooter with two riders out to enjoy the crisp spring morning.

It was a familiar Boston scene. Then the light, and everything, changed.

“The duck boat just took off and actually went into the back of the people on the scooter,” said Graham Foster, recounting the scene that unfolded before him around 11:30 a.m.

The scooter operator tried to accelerate, Foster said, but could not get out of the duck boat’s way in time. He said witnesses yelled at the duck boat operator and tried to alert him.

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“The [scooter] flipped on the side and the next thing you know [the duck boat] ran right over [the scooter],” Foster said.

When the duck boat finally came to a stop, the 29-year-old woman operating the scooter and the man riding with her were on the ground behind the magenta amphibious vessel.

The woman was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital, where she died, Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said. The man was not seriously injured; both were wearing helmets, he said.

“It looks like a terrible tragedy,” Evans said.

The crash led to a daylong investigation that unfolded as thousands came across the gruesome scene. The scooter was crushed under the driver’s side front wheel of one of the vehicles that give tours and have become synonymous with parades for the city’s championship-winning sports teams.

Foster, who lives in Norton, said the man and woman were not moving after falling to the ground.

The duck boat operator stopped the vehicle, he said.

“He realized he had run over something and stopped and was getting off the bus in a panic,” Foster said. “It was very horrible.”

Evans said none of the 26 to 28 people aboard the duck boat was injured.

Boston police loaded the passengers onto a second duck boat and escorted them to police headquarters to be interviewed, Evans said. The driver was also taken from the scene for questioning, he said.

The collision occurred near a city-owned surveillance camera. Officer Rachel McGuire, a Boston police spokeswoman, said investigators are reviewing surveillance footage.

“We’ll have to determine whether criminal charges have to be taken out against the operator,” Evans said.

The names of the victim and the duck boat operator were not released Saturday.

Bob Schwartz, director of marketing and sales for Boston Duck Tours, said the driver “has been with the company for years and has a great safety record.”

The company, which has been operating since 1994, was never before involved in a fatal accident, Schwartz said.

In a statement Saturday, the company said, “The thoughts and prayers of the Boston Duck Tours cast and crew are with the victim’s family following today’s tragic accident. . . . Safety is of the utmost importance to our company, and we will continue to provide our cooperation to the authorities.”

Another witness, Jay Beausang, said he was planting a tree at the intersection of Beacon and Charles streets when he saw a person tumble from a scooter and land . Scraping sounds followed, he said.

“A body popped out the back of the duck boat,” said Beausang, the owner of Westwood Nurseries. “I ran over. I got on my knees, held her wrist for a pulse.”

Boston Police Sergeant Brian Waters, who was working a detail nearby, also rushed to the woman’s side, telling her again and again, “We’re going to help you,” Beausang said.

The woman tried to talk but was unable to speak, he said. She was not bleeding, Beausang said, but looked like a “rag doll.” He said the man who was also on the scooter told the woman she was going to be OK.

“I didn’t say anything,” said Beausang, who lives in Norfolk. “I just held onto her wrist, felt her pulse fade away.”

Beausang said he was interviewed by Boston police, who told him the man and woman were on their first date. McGuire said she could not confirm that account.

Beacon Hill resident Morgan Ralph said passengers aboard the duck boat appeared stunned as they watched rescuers perform CPR.

“They were all sort of huddled in the back of the duck boat peering down,” said Ralph, who was out shopping when he witnessed the aftermath of the crash.

A section of Beacon Street was closed until about 5:30 p.m. For hours, a pair of women’s shoes and two helmets sat in the street, one behind the duck boat and the other next to the vehicle.

Officers put evidence markers down and placed items in paper bags.

Before an ambulance took the woman away, Ralph said he saw a man standing in the street watching rescuers trying to help her.

“He was looking down, sort of emotionless, blank, sort of shocked,” Ralph said.

He was holding a helmet.

As dusk fell at the crash site, a friend of the victim’s stood next to a box of flowers he purchased to honor the woman.

Ethan Crain, who lives in South Boston, declined to provide the woman’s full name, but said she lived on Beacon Hill and enjoyed riding her scooter in nice weather.

“She had all the greatest qualities a human being could have,” Crain said. “She possessed all that was kind, compassionate, smart, caring, and considerate.”

Crain said he met the woman through work. She had worked in the insurance industry and volunteered at a women’s shelter in Boston, he said.

Crain said he last saw the woman Sunday and they exchanged text messages Friday night. She told him she planned to spend Saturday with her sister.

“I was very fond of her,” Crain said. “She was incredibly poised and full of life. I feel so bad for her family.”

Globe correspondent Mackenzie Cummings-Grady contributed to this report. Laura Crimaldi can be reached at [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter @lauracrimaldi .

At least 3 fatal Duck-tour accidents nationally since ’99

Before Thursday's collision, at least 3 other fatal accidents involving Duck vehicles had been reported since '99.

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Before Thursday’s multiple-fatality collision in Seattle, at least three other fatal accidents involving Duck tourist vehicles had been reported nationally since 1999, federal records, news reports and interviews show.

The latest accident occurred in Philadelphia in May, when one of the amphibious military vehicles-turned-tourist conveyors struck and killed a Texas woman at a busy intersection during rush hour, news reports show. In 1999, 13 people drowned when a Duck sank in Arkansas due to a dislodged rubber seal.

Other serious-but-non-fatal Duck accidents have occurred in Boston, London and Liverpool, news reports show.

Such Duck-involved fatalities have periodically cast a pall over an otherwise jovial niche-tourist business that exploded in the 1990s and now has firms operating Ducks in cities nationwide.

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In Seattle, Ride the Ducks of Seattle, LLC — the local firm involved in Thursday’s fatal wreck on the Aurora Bridge — had claimed a relatively solid safety record, according to interviews with regulators, the company’s owner and former drivers.

Driver training “is generally quite good,” said Christian Holtz, a former Duck “captain” in Seattle who now works as a driver’s education instructor. “They do have a pretty rigorous safety program.”

But a local lawyer who represented a motorcyclist who says he was run over by a Duck in downtown Seattle four years ago warns the vehicles can be hazardous.

“These things have restricted sightlines, they’re big and they’re not super maneuverable,” said Steve Bulzomi, a personal-injury attorney based in Tacoma. “I personally don’t feel comfortable driving around them.”

Brian Tracey, owner of Ride the Ducks of Seattle, defended the company’s safety record after the tragedy. All of his Duck vehicles routinely “pass with flying colors” safety inspections conducted by the state and the Coast Guard, he said.

Records and interviews largely support Tracey’s statements.

The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission last inspected Ride the Ducks of Seattle in December 2012, giving the firm a “satisfactory” rating — the rating necessary for such passenger tour firms to operate in this state.

That review included checking that the company’s 35 drivers at the time had all required licenses and certifications, and that its 17 amphibious vehicles then operating were roadworthy.

“The company is very safety oriented and has retrofitted all vehicles/vessels with up to date vehicle components,” the inspector wrote.

The U.S. Coast Guard in Seattle also reported Thursday it annually inspects the company’s 20 Ducks now in operation to ensure they’re fit to operate in Lake Union. The agency has no record of any safety incident involving a Duck in Seattle waters, and a spokesman said Duck #6 — the vehicle involved in Thursday’s accident — was last inspected and approved for operations in March.

Albert Zakharenko, who drove a Duck for Tracey’s company for about a year, said Ride the Ducks takes safety and maintenance seriously.

Zakharenko noted he was fired in 2014 after a Duck he was piloting had a near- collision with a tugboat on Lake Union. “It was my fault, and I accepted it,” Zakharenko said.

Despite his dismissal, Zakharenko defended Tracey’s company.

“The guys who are running the preparation of new drivers, they do an amazing job,” he said. “You come in there, you don’t know how to drive this horrible vehicle, and after the training you are basically a pro.”

Bulzomi said that while representing his motorcyclist client, Austin Porter, “we found two or three rear-enders prior to ours.” The Seattle Times also has reported on at least three roadway accidents involving Ducks in recent years.

According to Porter’s lawsuit , he was stopped at a light at Third Avenue and Pike Street in Oct. 10, 2011, when a Duck struck him from behind, then drove over him and his bike.

“I can only say the case has been resolved,” said Bulzomi, who noted he is bound by a confidentiality restriction from detailing that resolution.

As a result of Porter’s lawsuit, Bulzomi did say Ride the Ducks agreed to install cameras on the front of each Duck so that drivers can see parts of the roadway on a monitor that otherwise could be obscured. Bulzomi said Tracey’s company didn’t agree to another of Porter’s requests, however: that Ride the Ducks hire separate tour guides so that drivers won’t be responsible for narrating tours while driving.

That issue is a legitimate safety concern, former driver Holtz said.

“When you’re operating as it usually is, the driver wears many different hats,” said Holtz, who captained a Duck from 2007 to 2009. “He’s an entertainer, he plays music, he tells jokes, and he does the driving.”

The city of San Francisco now bars tour drivers from also acting as narrators, after a motorized cable car hit and killed a woman there last year. Since approval of that law, which requires a different person to fill the tour guide’s role, the Duck tours in that city closed, citing a “challenging business environment.”

Other fatalities involving Ducks include a Duck being overrun by a tugboat-towed barge in 2010 in the Delaware River in Philadelphia, drowning two student tourists from Hungary.

Information in this article, originally published Sept. 24, 2015, was corrected Sept. 25, 2015. A previous version of this story misidentified a vehicle that was involved in a fatal accident in Canada. The “Lady Duck” tour vehicle that sank in Ottawa in 2002, killing four people, was a truck modified to float on water similar to Duck vehicle, but it was not an actual Duck.

17 Dead: The Latest on the ‘Terrible Tragedy’ of the Branson Duck Boat Sinking

S eventeen people are dead after an amphibious duck boat with tourists on board sank in a heavy storm near Branson, Missouri on Thursday.

The Stone County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the death toll on Friday morning after a dive team concluded recovery efforts to find four missing bodies.

The boat, from Ride the Ducks Branson, was one of two vessels caught in a heavy storm that rolled into the area about 7 p.m. local time. Videos posted on local media showed two boats struggling to make it to shore on Table Rock Lake amid heavy windy and choppy waters.

There were 31 people – 29 passengers and two crew members – aboard the capsized boat, according to the Stone County Sheriff’s Office. At a press conference Friday morning, Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader said the driver of the duck boat died in the accident, but the boat’s captain was among the survivors. He said an off-duty sheriff’s deputy working on security for the nearby Branson Belle riverboat in Table Rock Lake helped to rescue people in the water after the accident.

“It’s been a long night and a very trying night,” Rader said.

Seventeen people have been confirmed dead, including children. Fourteen survived, with seven taken to hospital. Those who died ranged in age from 1 to 70 years old, according to Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Jason Pace.

Rader said Friday morning that he did not have more information about whether the boat operators had checked the weather forecast before leaving shore or whether passengers had been wearing life jackets on board.

The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a team to investigate the cause of the accident.

“Right now, it’s just a time for thoughts and prayers. There’s a lot of healing that has to take place right now,” Missouri Governor Mike Parson said at Friday’s press conference. “All those details will come in time, but for right now, it’s about really trying to protect the families, to unite the families and to deal with the situation they’re in. I think that’s the most important thing.”

WOW - video captures duck tour boat sinking in Missouri w/31 people on board. 11 people are dead, including children, 5 people are still missing in the lake and 7 are in the hospital. You can see there was terrible weather. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued 30 mins before. pic.twitter.com/w8T17pE37B — Erica Rakow (@EricaRakow) July 20, 2018

Who are the victims of the duck boat accident?

The Stone County Sheriff’s Office on Friday released the names of the 17 victims. They include nine members of the same family , a couple from St. Louis , a couple from Higginsville , a father and son from Arkansas and a grandmother who died saving her granddaughter , according to local media reports. The boat’s driver, Bob Williams , was also among the deceased.

Why did the duck boat sink?

Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader attributed the sinking to heavy winds.

The National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Branson area Thursday evening. Wind speeds reached 60 mph, a weather service meteorologist in Springfield told the Associated Press.

“They were coming back to land. There were actually two ducks. The first one made it out and the second one didn’t,” Rader said at a press conference Thursday night.

Video posted to the Springfield News-Leader showed the two boats struggling to make it to shore in heavy wind and waves. Onlooker Jennie P. Carr, who was on the Branson Belle Showboat as people had dinner, recorded footage of the boat’s nose sinking below the water. The camera turned away before the boat sank.

“It got closer to us on the Showboat and you could see water going into the boat. I did see he was starting to sink. It was leaning to the right,” she told the newspaper.

She said the boat was out of sight when it sank.

What is the duck boat operator saying?

On Friday morning the operators’ website was replaced by an image of a black ribbon, with a statement reading: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident that occurred at Ride The Ducks Branson. This incident has deeply affected all of us. Words cannot convey how profoundly our hearts are breaking.”

It continued, “We will continue to do all we can to assist the families who were involved and the authorities as they continue with the search and rescue. The safety of our guests and employees is our number one priority. Ride the Ducks will be closed for business while we support the investigation, and to allow time to grieve for the families and the community.”

“Thank you for your support, and we ask that your thoughts and prayers be with the families during this time.”

Have there been other fatal duck boat accidents?

In 1999, a duck boat on Lake Hamilton, Arkansas, sank, drowning 13 of its 21 passengers. After that incident, the National Transportation Safety Board said the roof canopy of the boat was to blame, after finding four of the victims pinned against the roof at the bottom of the lake. Three more were also trapped inside the boat.

In 2015, a duck boat collided with a charter bus on a bridge in Seattle, killing five people and injuring 69. And in 2016, a duck boat in Boston struck and killed a motorist , sparking a debate over the vessels’ safety.

What is a duck boat?

A duck boat is the colloquial name for an amphibious vehicle that can operate on land and in the water. The vehicles are based off a military design first used during World War II. They are now a common vehicle in lake tours around the world.

Ride The Ducks Branson was acquired by entertainment giant Ripley in December 2017.

How are officials responding?

Missouri Governor Mike Parson ordered all flags at government offices in the state to be flown at half-staff for a week to honor the victims of the boating accident.

Very sad to hear about this horrible accident - prayers for all those involved and the first responders who are assisting. https://t.co/PQ56zagc0s — Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) July 20, 2018

President Donald Trump tweeted his condolences to the victims of the accident, saying “My deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those involved in the terrible boat accident which just took place in Missouri. Such a tragedy, such a great loss. May God be with you all!”

My deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those involved in the terrible boat accident which just took place in Missouri. Such a tragedy, such a great loss. May God be with you all! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 20, 2018

Tragedy here in Missouri this evening. Heavy hearts for the families of those who have died and are hurt. And as always sincere thanks to the first responders. https://t.co/RrASkl0fcU — Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) July 20, 2018

Deeply saddened by the tragedy at Table Rock Lake. My prayers are with the families and friends who lost their loved ones. Thank you to the first responders who are assisting. — Senator Roy Blunt (@RoyBlunt) July 20, 2018

Terrible tragedy on Table Rock Lake last night. Erin and I are praying for the families involved and for the missing. My office ready to assist law enforcement as needed in investigation. https://t.co/KM0XaR541z — Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 20, 2018

Just spoke with Gov. Mike Parson of Missouri about the tragic loss of life in Branson from the boat incident. I am grateful for the divers at work and our heart goes out to the families. Arkansas stands ready to help. — Gov. Asa Hutchinson (@AsaHutchinson) July 20, 2018

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Q&A: Things to know about the deadly Seattle duck boat crash

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SEATTLE (AP) — Federal officials are investigating a deadly crash last week between an amphibious tour vehicle and a charter bus carrying international college students in Seattle. Here are questions and answers about the collision and the National Transportation Safety Board investigation.

WHAT HAPPENED?

A so-called duck boat carrying about three dozen tourists and a charter bus with about 45 North Seattle College students and staff aboard were traveling in different directions across a bridge Thursday when witnesses say they saw the duck boat’s left tire lock up as it swerved into the bus.

HOW MANY PEOPLE DIED?

Four people were killed Thursday and a fifth —a 20-year-old woman — died Sunday at a hospital. Her name has not been released, but she was an international student attending North Seattle College.

Authorities identified the others killed as: Runje Song, 17, of China; Privando Putradanto, 18, of Indonesia; Mami Sato, 36, of Japan; and Claudia Derschmidt, 49, of Austria. All were international students heading to orientation activities.

More than 50 people were transported to area hospitals following the accident. At least 13 remained hospitalized Sunday.

WHAT HAS THE INVESTIGATION FOUND?

Authorities say it will be months before they can determine an exact cause of the accident. The duck boat’s left front axle was sheared off, though it wasn’t clear if the axle had broken before or after the collision, officials said.

The duck boat did not have an axle repair that was recommended for at least some of the amphibious vehicles in 2013, NTSB member Earl Weener said Sunday. Ride the Ducks International, which refurbished the boat in 2005, warned its customers two years ago about potential axle failure and recommended a specific repair or increased monitoring, he said.

It’s unclear if the company that owns the vehicle — Ride the Ducks of Seattle — was aware of the warning, Weener said.

Ride the Ducks of Seattle owner Brian Tracey didn’t say in a statement Sunday night whether the company knew of the warning.

“We are working to understand what happened and have completely opened our operations to NTSB investigators,” he said.

WHAT EXACTLY ARE DUCK BOATS?

The U.S. Army deployed thousands of amphibious landing craft during World War II that were known then by their military designation, DUKW. Once the war was over, they were used by civilian law enforcement agencies and also converted to sightseeing vehicles in U.S. cities. The DUKW designation was replaced with the duck boat moniker that is used by various tour companies.

The vehicle involved in the Seattle crash was an Army surplus craft built in 1945.

HAVE THERE BEEN PREVIOUS DUCK BOAT ACCIDENTS?

An amphibious vehicle sank on Lake Hamilton in Arkansas in 1999, killing 13 people in an accident the National Transportation Safety Board blamed on inadequate maintenance. Investigators determined that the vessel, built by the Army in 1944, was not designed for passenger service and, as a result, lacked the proper buoyancy to remain afloat.

In 2010, a barge hit a sightseeing duck boat on the Delaware River near Philadelphia, sinking it in water about 55 feet deep and killing two Hungarian tourists. More than 25 people were injured.

The NTSB found that the tugboat operator was distracted by his cellphone and laptop computer. Investigators also found fault with the maintenance of the duck boat and decisions by the captain to anchor in an active navigation channel.

Watch CBS News

Duck Boat And Car Crash In Downtown Boston

August 2, 2018 / 5:00 PM EDT / CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) - Investigators are now trying to determine who was at fault when a Boston duck boat collided with a white Audi at the intersection of Congress and State Streets in Boston.

It was a crash that grabbed a lot of attention when witnesses heard the screeching of tires. They say it appears the duck boat and the car were merging in the same lane on State Street and both clearly couldn't fit.

"It didn't look like he could stop in time, looked like he needed more room to stop so he was skidding," said Isaac Krokovsky who was standing nearby with his family when the accident happened.

It was then the duck boat struck the back of the car and pushed it at least ten feet, as witnesses say the duck boat driver tried to take evasive action. "The duck boat hit the back of the car and made it twist. Then the duck boat carried the car up the street in a T-bone kind of thing," said witness Jennifer Krakovsky.

Police say the driver of the car suffered minor injuries as traffic came to a standstill in the busy area near the old statehouse.

The timing of the accident comes when duck boats, a popular tourist attraction, are under increasing scrutiny. In Boston, safety changes were made following the April 2016 death of Allison Warmuth who was fatally struck by a duck boat as she rode a moped.

Scrutiny has also increased since the tragic drowning of 17 people in Branson, Missouri.

James Hall, former chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, believes the tours put families at risk every day.

"Not fully a boat, not fully a bus. But clearly unsafe both on water and on land," Hall told WBZ-TV's Juli McDonald. "This vehicle which was designed really for military landings, should be banned for recreational use in these communities across the country."

At the scene in Boston, witnesses say it was fortunate the accident was slow moving. Passengers were put on another duck boat and taken from the scene, while the driver was taken to the hospital to be evaluated.

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