Online videos of Branson duck boat tours from recent years show life jackets stowed beneath the roof of the boats, within arm’s reach of an adult. But few if any patrons were wearing them on those trips. The Coast Guard requires life jackets to be available for each passenger on a boat, including duck boats, but allows the crew to decide when to instruct passengers to put them on. Jim Pattison Jr., the president of Ripley Entertainment, which acquired the Ride the Ducks attraction in Branson last year, said the boats were always stocked with life jackets, but that people were not required to wear them. The weather was calm when the boat left the dock on Thursday. Mr. Pattison said this was the first such accident at Ride the Ducks, which was started more than 40 years ago. In an interview, Mr. Pattison said the company had policies in place to keep boats off the water during dangerous weather, but he was unsure of the exact threshold for aborting a tour. “I was told that it was calm” when the boat went out on the water, Mr. Pattison said. He said the boats typically spend 15 to 20 minutes in the water on a circular route through Table Rock Lake. “This is a real tragedy, and we can’t say enough about how devastated we are,” Mr. Pattison said. “It’s hard to think about.” Duck boats are modeled after DUKWs, which brought materials ashore during the invasion of Normandy and hauled howitzers during the landings in Iwo Jima. In the decades since, duck vehicles have been used to transport tourists in places like Philadelphia, the Wisconsin Dells and Branson. Such boats have had mixed safety records over the years, both on water and land. In Philadelphia in 2010, a duck boat that stalled in the Delaware River was struck by a barge being towed by a tugboat, killing two people. On land, pedestrians and a motorist were killed in recent years in accidents involving the vehicles in Philadelphia and Boston. In 2015, a duck boat collided with a bus in Seattle, killing five people.<doc-sep>At least 17 people - nine from the same family - have died after an amphibious “duck boat” capsized in stormy weather on a lake in Missouri. Divers had been searching for four people who were missing after the sightseeing vessel sank in Table Rock Lake, police in the US state said and as Governor Mike Parson had pointed out to CNN, the chances of finding survivors were slim the morning after the incident. Mr Parson later revealed that nine of the victims, which is said to be include children, were members of the same family. "It's difficult to find the right words to say," he told the broadcaster Recommended Duck boat trips on Thames halted after fire Finding the missing passengers "brings some closure" to survivors and victims' families, Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader told MSNBC, congratulating the efforts of rescue divers. Seven others were taken to hospital following the disaster near the city of Branson, Mr Rader said. President Donald Trump tweeted his condolences to the victims' families and wrote: " Such a tragedy, such a great loss. May God be with you all!" There were 31 people on board the Ride the Ducks tour boat when it sank in 40 feet (12 metres) of water during the thunderstorm shortly after 7pm local time (midnight GMT) on Thursday. The driver of the duck boat - a hybrid land-to-water vehicle, was among the victims, police said. Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Show all 18 1 /18 Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Seventeen people died after a duck boat capsized in Branson lake, Missouri. Nine out of 11 members of the same family died during the accident. Tia Coleman, far left, and her nephew, far right, were the only survivors from the Coleman family on the boat Belinda Coleman/Facebook Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Emergency responders work at Table Rock Lake after the boat accident AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake People pray by a car thought to belong to a victim of Thursday's boating accident AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, left, and Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader hold a press conference at Table Rock Lake about fatal accident. St. Louis Post-Dispatch/AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Emergency workers patrol an area near where the duck boat capsized AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Crews working at the scene where a tourist boat capsized and sank Southern Stone County Fire Protection District/AFP/Getty Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Rina Bernard, left, and Keri Johnson leave flowers on a car believed to belong to a victim of a last night's duck boat accident AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Brandon Webb and Carlye Michel participate in a candlelight vigil in the parking lot of Ride the Ducks AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Rescue personnel REUTERS Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Flowers and a note rest on a car believed to belong to a victim AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Southern Stone County Fire Protection District responding Southern Stone County Fire Protection District/EPA Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake People pray during a candlelight vigil in the parking lot of Ride the Ducks AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake People pray next to a car believed to belong to a victim AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake A woman writes a message during a candlelight vigil in the parking lot of Ride the Ducks AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Ducks boat sits idle in the parking lot of Ride the Ducks AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake People pray around a van believed to belong to victims of a duck boat accident AP Missouri boat crash: 17 dead after duck boat capsizes in Branson lake Russ McKay looks at a cross left in a makeshift memorial for his friends before a candlelight vigil AP A second boat made it safely back to shore. “There was some heavy wind. It was having problems through the wind,” Mr Rader said. “They were coming back towards land. There was actually two ducks. The first one made it out. The second one didn’t.” Mr Parson indicated the weather had been calm Thursday evening and the devastating storm "came out of nowhere". Jim Pattison Jr, president of the Ride the Duck Branson's parent company Ripley Entertainment, said: "My understanding was that when the boat went in the water, it was calm. And partway through coming back is when ... the waves picked up and then obviously swamped the boat." Two adults in a critical condition were among seven victims taken to the Cox Medical Centre in Branson, the hospital said. Rescue crews work by the shore of Table Rock Lake (AP) Video footage shot by a witness from the shore and broadcast by local media showed strong waves tossing two duck boats side to side during the storm. Steve Lindenberg, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Springfield, Missouri, said the agency had issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the Branson area on Thursday evening ahead of winds of more than 60mph. “It’s a warning telling people to take shelter,” he said. Mr Rader said an off-duty police officer working security for the boat company had been on the boat and helped to rescue people as it sank. Life jackets were on board, the sheriff added but it is unclear at this time if passengers were wearing them or if they would have helped given the nature of the storm. Dive teams from several law enforcement agencies were involved in the rescue but were forced to halt the search on Thursday night. They were due to resume on Friday morning, when investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are also due to arrive. Suzanne Smagala-Potts, a spokeswoman for Ripley Entertainment, which owns the Branson branch of the Ride the Ducks brand, said: “Our number one priority is the families and our employees that were affected by this tragic accident. “As of this time right now we are assisting the authorities as they continue with their search and rescue operation.” Ms Smagala said the boat's sinking was the Branson tour's first accident in more than 40 years of operation She could not confirm how many crew members were aboard the boat. The operator’s website and social media pages advertise 70-minute tours which begin at Branson and offer scenic views of the Ozarks mountains from land and water. Customers are also told they can "drive the duck a little”. Branson, a city of around 10,000 people about 200 miles south east of Kansas City, is a popular holiday destination for families. World news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 World news in pictures World news in pictures 30 September 2020 Pope Francis prays with priests at the end of a limited public audience at the San Damaso courtyard in The Vatican AFP via Getty World news in pictures 29 September 2020 A girl's silhouette is seen from behind a fabric in a tent along a beach by Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip AFP via Getty World news in pictures 28 September 2020 A Chinese woman takes a photo of herself in front of a flower display dedicated to frontline health care workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Beijing, China.<doc-sep>The 17 Victims of the Tragic Duck Boat Accident Identified, Including 9 Members of the Same Family The 17 victims who tragically died onboard a duck boat that capsized in at Table Rock Lake, Missouri, on Thursday have been identified. The Coleman family made up nine victims, including three other children: Maxwell Coleman, 2; Reece Coleman, 9; and Evan Coleman, 7, in a list provided by authorities to local media. Get push notifications with news, features and more. Only two members of the Coleman family survived, Tia Coleman and her 13-year-old nephew, according to KOLR. Tragically, the family was never meant to be on the doomed vessel with Tia telling the outlet they missed their boat after going to the wrong duck boat business. When they made it to Ride the Ducks, the group was allowed to switch their tickets for the 6:30 ride. Tia recounted the terrifying experience of trying to escape the sinking boat, saying she “couldn’t see anybody, I couldn’t hear anything.” “I couldn’t hear screams, it felt like I was out there on my own,” she said. “And I was yelling, screaming and finally, I said, ‘Lord, just let me die, let me die, I can’t keep drowning, I just can’t keep drowning.’ And then I just let go.” Tia’s other family members included sister-in-law Angela Coleman, 45, Belinda Coleman, 69, Ervin Coleman, 76, Glenn Coleman, 40, and Horace Coleman, 70. Duck boat victims Coleman familyCredit: Coleman Family Members of the Coleman family | Credit: Coleman Family She lost her husband and their three children, aged 9, 7 and 1, in the incident as well as her parents-in-law. Angela was there with her 13-year-old son, who survived, and 2-year-old son, Maxwell. “The last thing I heard my sister-in-law say was ‘grab the baby,’” Tia recalled before the boat began sinking. “My head pushed up to the top of the water and I lost control, I didn’t have anybody with me.” “I couldn’t see anybody. And I know it wasn’t but I felt like I struggled for at least an hour, but it was probably like 10 minutes. And I just remembered I kept sinking and sinking,” she said. Among the others who died were Janice Bright, 63, and William Bright, 65, who were from Higginsville, Missouri, and celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary. William’s sister, Karen Abbott, told The Kansas City Star she only found out about the duck boat capsizing when she overheard her boss talking about it. “Needless to say, I fell apart because I couldn’t reach them on cell phones,” Abbott said. The Brights have three daughters, 16 grandchildren and were expecting their 17th grandchild. 9766585j People pray next to a car believed to belong to a victim of a last night’s duck boat accident, in Branson, Missouri Abbott told the newspaper her brother was her “best friend in the whole world.” “It was just he and I,” she said. “Most people say they don’t like their sister-in-laws. I’ve loved Janice for 47 years. She was my friend before she was my sister.” William Asher, 69, of St. Louis, Missouri, and his girlfriend Rosemarie Hamann, 68, were inseparable before death. A neighbor of the couple told KMOV the two loved to dance, travel and “listen to the oldies” together. “It’s devastating, Will was such an integral part of the community here,” former neighbor Jim Roepke, told the station. “He knew everybody there wasn’t a person that drove by that he didn’t wave to, talked to. He was just wonderful. He was always happy, always has a smile, always willing to help out. That’s by far the fondest memory and will always stick with me.” Father and son, Steve Smith, 53, and Lance Smith, 15, of Osceola, Arkansas, also passed away in the tragedy. A family friend of theirs, Will Hester, shared a heart-wrenching tribute to them on Facebook asking for prayers. “Please pray for the Smith Family of Osceola church of Christ. Last night Steve (father and husband) and Lance (the son) died in the tragic duck accident in Branson, Missouri,” Hester wrote. “Steve was a deacon at Osceola and I had just baptized Lance, who was 15, late last year. This past Sunday I finally was able to get Lance to do a devotional and break out his shell!” Hester continued. “Attached is one of the last photos of him I know exists. He was like a son to me and I will miss him greatly.” “He was the perfect example of humility and compassion! He cared about everyone. My heart breaks, but I know where they are and I know that I will see them again,” he added. “Again, we ask for prayers of comfort for everyone! I cannot express how much I am thankful for all who contacted us and told us they were praying! Thank you for your support!! !” RELATED VIDEO: 17 Dead After Duck Boat Sinks in Missouri Leslie Dennison, 65, was also pronounced dead. Her son Todd Dennison told The Kansas City Star that his mother saved his 12-year-old daughter Alicia when the boat sank. “She said her grandmother saved her,” Todd told the newspaper of how his daughter felt Leslie pushing her upward from below the water. The driver of the duck boat, Robert “Bob” Williams also died, with his widow, Judy, telling CNN he was a friendly man. “He’d talk to anybody. He made an effect on many lives. He would give up his life for somebody,” she said. “That’s the kind of man Robert was, is.” His grandson, Victor Richardson, told the outlet Williams was “a God-fearing man; he was very humble. He was the calmest spirit you could ever meet.” Authorities said they believe the boat turned over and sunk due to the stormy weather at about 8 p.m. ET with the thunderstorm winds as high as 60 mph, according to NBC News. The duck boat remains at the bottom of the lake.<doc-sep>
From Southern Stone County Fire Protection District via Facebook: This is the staging area during the initial response to the "MCI" The Branson Belle was not involved in the incident. https://www.facebook.com/sscfpd/videos/10155428857546697/ Thee Southern Stone County Fire Protection District posted this video of the article scene at Table Rock Lake in Branson, Missouri. A duck boat that sank in Branson, Missouri, is raised out of the water. (CNN) — The duck boat that capsized during a storm in southwestern Missouri last week – a disaster that left 17 people dead – was raised to the surface of Table Rock Lake on Monday in an effort overseen by the Coast Guard. The Ride the Ducks Branson amphibious vessel had 31 people on board when it left the shore Thursday on the lake near Branson, Missouri, as a severe thunderstorm whipped up intense winds and waves. The Coast Guard surfaced the sunken duck boat on Monday and plans to take the boat to a facility for further inspection. The process to lift the boat and tow it to shore involved several divers, a barge crane and water pumps. Pool A duck boat that sank in Branson, Missouri, is raised out of the water. Coast Guard Capt. Scott Stoermer said the vessel was resting on the bottom of the lake, about 80 feet underwater. In addition to the salvage effort, investigators are looking into questions about the accident, including ones about the weather, life jackets, the boat and the actions of the crew, officials said. One family lost 9 members Tia Coleman and 10 of her relatives got on the duck boat to take a tour of Table Rock Lake during their family vacation. Only she and her nephew survived when the boat sank. Her husband, her three children and five other members of her family died in the accident. Leeta Bigbee In back, from left to right: Tia Coleman, holding her one-year-old Arya, Ray Coleman, Glenn Coleman, Horace Coleman. In front: Angela Coleman, Max, Evan, Reece, Donovan Hall, Belinda Coleman. Coleman said Monday night on “Anderson Cooper Full Circle” that her spouse tried to rescue their children. “Somebody told me that when they found my husband, he had all three of my babies.” “That right there will keep me fighting for my family forever,” Coleman said. “To know that he did (was) exactly what he always told me when we first met: ‘I will always take care of you and our children.’” Coleman said this about survivors who have expressed guilt to her about not being able to save those who died: “We all went through something extremely dramatic, they should never feel guilty for surviving.” Victims weren’t wearing life jackets when they were found None of the victims who died were wearing life jackets when they were found, a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN on Sunday. The duck boat contained life jackets, but passengers weren’t required to wear them, according to Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader. Regulations mandate there must be enough life jackets for everyone on board, Stoermer said, but the captain decides whether passengers need to wear them. Coleman said the captain mentioned the life jackets before they went on the lake. “The captain did say something about life jackets. He said, ‘Above you are the life jackets, there are three sizes, but you won’t need them,’” Coleman said Saturday night. Fellow survivor Talyssa Mann, a 19-year-old from Carlsbad, New Mexico, said Coleman’s statement about life jackets was correct. “I felt like, if I was able to get a life jacket I could have saved my babies because they could have at least floated up to the top and somebody could have grabbed them,” Coleman told reporters. Victims’ ages spanned decades The victims ranged in age from 1 to 76 years, authorities said. Nine of the victims were the Colemans. They were Angela, 45; Arya, 1; Belinda, 69; Ervin, 76; Evan, 7; Glenn, 40; Horace, 70; Maxwell, 2; and Reece, 9. They had been on a family vacation from Indiana. The driver of the duck boat, Robert Williams, 73, died in the sinking, said his widow, Judy Williams. Other victims included Steve Smith, a retired teacher from Osceola, Arkansas, and his teenage son, Lance; William and Janice Bright, a married couple from Higginsville, Missouri; William Asher and his partner, Rosemarie Hamann from Missouri; and Leslie Dennison from Illinois, according to family friends, CNN affiliates and local media reports.