Those do not relieve them of liability for their actions or lack of.

The Branson Ducks will be liquidated (sold to Pattinson's brother in law.:D:D) and the insurance company will settle within the policy limitations unless they can prove negligence of the individual who was overseeing the operation or the driver and then they can go for jail time.

The Company's owner stated on Nation TV that "the boats should not have been in the water..." stating the experience of the pilot and lack of warning for the storm cell that caused the boats sinking.

There's no $$$ to sue

A company in Branson bought this "local chapter" of ducks

Maybe insurance pays out? But I doubt this small operation has a ton of coverage

I believe that is correct. That is the ramp they enter and exit the lake. Looks like when the warning was issued they did head back towards the ramp, but must have been far enough away they didn't make it back before the storm hit.

That's the best bet to keep the boat upright. Going parallel to the waves will quickly capsize the boat.

1) They absolutely have liability insurance

2) Herschends are minority owners

Hindsight is always 20/20. He had every reason to initially believe the best move was to "ride the storm out" and not slam in to the docks/shore and throw passengers around. The possibility of capsizing likely didn't even cross his mind until that last minute or two, at which point they were already ****ed. Only thing at that point that could have saved lives is his announcement to abandon ship.

I'm guessing you live nearby. People far enough away either go for fun or curiosity. People who live nearby just steer clear...lol.

Thirowing the (possibly dead) captain ocerboard, I see.

wow....sorry to disgust you. You must get disgusted easily.

Your comment is fair though.

But even if you're going to stand around and do nothing (as you put it).......isnt it, at the very least, a little morbid to film people dying in a tragedy?

It's not like these people are photojournalists working for Time magazine.

Maybe just me.....but I also remember a thread a while back where kids were filming a guy drowning where the theme/comments were similar.

It shouldn’t matter how close to the dock the boat was, the captain should know the boat can’t hold up in those conditions. Why not have the wind at your back and just beach it?

No one is going to risk turning that thing around when you are 450' from the dock and 1.75 miles from the far shore.

Ripley Entertainment bought the Branson ducks last year.

You are aware that another duck boat was out in the exact same conditions, about 25 yards ahead, the captain of which was doing the exact same thing, and was able to ride the storm out and safely dock it?

Yea, I wouldn't be surprised to see some criminal charges come from this.

I think all boats are known to be dangerous... :D:D:D:D:D

It wasn't the boat that caused the deaths, it was the failure of the Dispacher/ Supervisor to keep the boats out of the water during a storm event. The driver/ pilot may have been given/ had the last call or responsibility for the decision to enter the water. If the radar/weather reports said it was coming (alerts sounded) they should have acknowledged it and not gone on visual data. The legal actions should be right up there with the IN State fair/ Sugerland stage collapse lawsuits.

The Ducks owner is right: The boat should not have been in the water.

I think the problem is that someone OKed the two Ducks to enter the water with a major strom moving in. The dude piloting the one I was on last week said its difficult to exit the lake when the Branson Belle paddelwheel is going because of the under current it creates. These conditions were like 100x times that.

Would you say that was a smart move considering the fate of the other boat?

The captain survived, the driver didn’t.

They are saying that 17 are dead including kids. The video of it is heartbreaking.

Makes you wonder if people have any common sense. You don't go out on the water with a storm approaching-period. Why would these people get in there with their kids and why in the world would the drivers do it as well? They live at the lake and know how dangerous it is during storms. What a tragedy, one that could have easily been avoided.

I posted this above..

Hindsight is always 20/20. He had every reason to initially believe the best move was to "ride the storm out" and not slam in to the docks/shore and throw passengers around. The possibility of capsizing likely didn't even cross his mind until that last minute or two, at which point they were already ****ed. Only thing at that point that could have saved lives is his announcement to abandon ship.

Yeah, well, what about lightening?

How the **** would the captain know whether it would hold up or not? You think he navigates those things in 60+mph winds on a weekly basis? He probably has never gone through anything like that before and saw another boat (the exact same ****ing model) charging on ahead that ended up making. By the time he realized it was going down, it was too late.

Kindly STFO and quit being the typical internet dipshit that would have saved the day if he had been there. You weren't in that situation, never will be in that situation, so you have no ****ing clue what you're talking about.

That video is brutal. I'd have to agree in some ways seeing that other boat make it might have been the worst thing that could happen, because then they thought they could make it to shore too. I really think 99.9% of people would've done the same thing having seen the other boat make it. If you're out there on your own maybe they make a different decision.

Victims ages range from 1 to 70.

We don't know how long they had been on the water. The reports say that the severe t-storm warning was given 30 minutes before they capsized.

Does anyone know how long those tours usually are? I assume they are at least an hour.

Heartbreaking.

So there is still a chance my ex wife was riding a duck?

Its not like you get in the Duck at the edge of the water. They probably boarded that thing 45 mins earlier, took a drive up and down a mtn, then entered the water about 15 mins before everything went to shit. Sadly, most people are too trusting. "We wouldn'tbe out here if it wasn't safe..."

Because in those waves, the second that boat tries to turn around, it's going to capsize. The duck boats are narrow and top heavy.

Do the Duck boats even have Life Preservers or vest? It really seems to be a high mortality rate even considering the storm conditions.

I think amidst your babbling rant, you answered your own question.

If he’s relying and watching another boat while his is in trouble, he probably doesn’t have a clue what he’s doing. There could be weight differences etc.

I’ve had enough experience to not mess with Mother Nature on boat trips and check the weather conditions often on the Pacific Ocean. But you keep on being a keyboard warrior.

Can't bring myself to watch it.

Yeah, they are small and strapped to the ceiling.

I figures I'd need like 3 to get my large ass to float.

My wife and I are really aware people. We always check everything out, hech my wife is always packing and has turnicates and shit, its weird, a little too serious sfor me to be honest. Now the one we were on didn't have plexiglass sides so if shit hit the fan I would have been out the window and either get to the branson belle or the little island they go around out in the water.

Had I been out on that thing I would have been communicating with the driver and captain in that situation. I'd be shocked if those people didn't have the life vests on. I think the main issue is that they couldn't get out. And if you did you are going to be pushed near a giant paddelwheeler.

This. I never thought they looked all that safe to be on the water. Maybe across a short distance for the novelty of it, but not a full-length lake tour.

There are better options to cruise the lake instead of a floating tank on wheels.

Criminal? Like what deadly force with a Duck?

Think Civil case, Negligence.

Wonder if these guys even had radios to provide updates on the trip/tour etc.

agreed.

Negligence leading to death can absolutely lead to criminal charges

It is not weird at all. Very smart actually. You always have to be prepared.

Sounds like those vest were the bare minimum and did not help much in those terrible conditions. I did not realize they had no way to exit the boats. I thought they were open-air windows?

:LOL:
John Paul Jones

The later 2 comments covers this very well.

Probably for the best. People are eating and relaxing on the paddle boat while the duck boats are struggling. I don't know why the lady filming did not call for help? Towards the end you see the boat running out of steam and bogging down. The duck boat starts swamping with water right before the video cuts out, probably only seconds before it sank. I wonder if the paddleboat even stopped to help? Terrible.

There is no criminal intent?

It will all come down to a civil liability.

When you're a villan like Hoov, you always need an escape route

Baby Lee reporting that all passengers have been rescued and are currently recovering.

I watched the video once this morning, and have not rewatched since reading this thread. While the video was a bit hard to keep track of due to the reflections, I thought it was the front one that went down. I also thought it looked like the front one did turn sideways for a brief instant before going down.

I wonder if the captain is lawyered up yet?

http://www.ky3.com/content/news/Mour...488743281.html

Mourners plan 3 candlelight vigils Friday night for victims of Ride the Ducks tragedy

Not that I'm an environmentalist, but I would opt out of balloons, especially that close to water life.

All three at the same time.

Apparently England and Ireland who do the duck boat thing were close to banning them. Instead they fitted them with pontoons on each side making more stable and nearly unsinkable. They also removed the canopy something our Coast Guard and NTSB recommended but has not happened.

When I was young we went to Branson and Table Rock Lake often our Dad never took us on the Duck. Him being in the navy during WWII maybe he knew something about those boats. As kids we always wanted to but Dad never did Instead we went on the cruise ship or rented a boat.

There are very little regulations and they vary State to State I read on these things. Sort of like hot air balloon excursions any idiot can get a permit a balloon and start charging to float you into high voltage transmission lines. Still people will pay for the thrill.

Do you even read?

The article clearly states:

1. The paddle boat was docked
2. As soon as the crew on it saw that the duck was in distress, they started getting deployed with life jackets and other help.

Video from the other duck. I'm not sure that I wouldn't be too freaked out to be getting my phone out to film if I was on the boat.

https://www.facebook.com/NowThisNews...53212638/?t=24

Are those life jackets sitting in the front seat towards the start of the video? I think I'd be putting one of those on.

WHY DIDN'T THE PERSON RECORDING THAT GET OUT AND HELP THEM!!!!!11

Not that I'm encouraging you to watch it, but it cuts out before shit really hits the fan. It's mainly just showing the two boats fighting to get to shore. Still a bit unsettling, but some of these videos are much worse.

I know they used to. my ex-wife spent a summer as the photographer at branson landing for ride the ducks (one of their two branson locations at that time) and they had radios (believe they were cb radios, don't quote me on that one) back then.

I will say, having been on one of the boats, they do offer you life vests but nobody puts them on... and table rock lake doesn't get that rough that often in my experience... that said, no way should they have let them on the water. poster before was correct, it's like an hour total for a duck ride

So thee are known fixes the boat operator could have made to make the boats safer.

This just keeps getting better.

No

"Personal Injury" and "Wrongful Death" will certainly be filed in civil cases.


I think they could throw an involuntary manslaughter charge in, at the least, if they could show that the company's employees received the weather info and ignored it for profit.



I doubt any criminal charges will be filed in this case.

The stage collapse in IN never brought criminal charges even though the structure was built below building codes, killing seven people and injuring 58 others. It was settled as a class action at the tune of $50MM.

https://i0.wp.com/www.jimonlight.com...pg?w=617&ssl=1

The time on the water is much less but i don't know how long.

I’ve walked by them in Hot Springs many times, and not once have I even considered riding one.

This should lead to action to get some control over the boats on all MO lakes. LOTO is nuts . TR is not far behind.

Wow horrible news. That is a ton dead, JFC. Thoughts and prayers, even though I don't believe in that stuff. Just awful.

That was some rough waters but those 'boats' didn't look too sea worthy. A real boat would not have had a problem with those waves.

I’ve went on them in Branson before, many years ago. I’m a worry wart in general, but I definitely felt anxious the whole time while riding. You feel like you just rode a school bus into water. I always thought it was very strange that they didn’t enforce life jackets as mandatory, if nothing else for liability purposes.

Just a thought about why the Duck was on the water. I live in Highlandville, just north of Branson. I started getting strong winds here about 6:40-6:45. I turned on the TV and saw the warnings. The one for this area was set to expire at 6:45 and it did. But, a few minutes later, a beautiful warning was issued. Maybe the Ducks went out during that time thinking that it was all clear.

9 members of one family among the dead. :shake:

http://kmbc.com/article/mass-casualt...488782?src=app

I've rode them before, and I have no problem with riding one in the future. This was Branson's first Duck accident in 40 years. I take a bigger chance driving to Branson than I do getting on a Duck.

The Lake Hamilton incident killed 13 of 21 vs. 17 of 31 in Branson.

https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/1999...in_4x3_992.jpg

https://abcnews.go.com/US/duck-boat-...ry?id=56707672

Perpendicular, cousin.

Those things are motorized, floating IQ tests....

What are the odds that not a one of those nine didn’t stand their ground and say we better hold off and ride this duck another time when it might be safer. I think it was ‘77 when the ducks came to Branson. The same year Elvis died when the ducks came to Branson. I was 13 took one look at those and said oh no. Half boat half Auto. Makes it not worth a crap. Spent years in the Army building bridges with them. We would put bays on them and carry tanks on them. Lost numerous troops, got hit by barges on the Rhein river in Germany.

It looks as though the folks had plenty of time to vest up?

Feel bad for the old timer piloting it.

http://www.ky3.com/content/news/Miss...488759481.html

BRANSON, Mo. (AP) — A spokeswoman for Missouri Gov. Mike Parson says nine of the 17 people who died in a duck boat accident are from the same family.

Parson spokeswoman Kelli Jones says Friday that another two members of the same family survived when the boat capsized on Table Rock Lake near the tourist town of Branson. The governor's office had no other information about the family members. Authorities have not yet identified the victims.

The boat capsized Thursday evening when a thunderstorm hit the area and brought winds that approached near-hurricane speeds.

Twenty-nine passengers and two crew members were on the boat when it capsized. The boat's driver was among those killed.

Just saw the 9 members Of one family headline. I cannot imagine. This is why my father-in-law doesn't want all of our family on the same plane.

Damn :shake:

Well, that's one of the more horrific things I've ready lately. I can't imagine being one of the two who made it. :(

There doesn’t have to be intent

I wonder which two made it.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">One of the surviving members of the Coleman family who was on the boat said that the captain told passengers not to worry about life jackets.<br><br>&quot;You don&#39;t need &#39;em,&quot; she recalled him saying. &quot;So nobody grabbed them.&quot;<a href="https://t.co/gJ1EoXs06N">https://t.co/gJ1EoXs06N</a></p>&mdash; BuzzFeed News (@BuzzFeedNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/BuzzFeedNews/status/1020449956665016322?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Yeah screw that. I have been in a small boat in the middle of a lake when a storm rolled in and thought I was going in the drink. I make the girl I was with vest up and I did the same. I managed to get the thing back to shore without sinking it, but I have had a healthy respect for weather/lakes since that incident. :shake: I error on the side of caution.

Geez, if that's a recent picture, you wonder if kids or adults survived. If you're a kid, talk about having your life turned upside down in a flash. The double challenge is that your contingent caretakers/guardians may have died as well.