"DUCK" boat tour capsizes
Discussion
Tragic loss. WW2 "DUCK" boat gets caught in a storm on a lake in the US, flounders in conditions, and capsizes with about 31 on board during a lake tour.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44895391
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44895391
Terrible accident and loss of lives. 
You usually have to wear life jackets on those things. But couple that with those aftermarket canopies and windows that they’ve installed, there’s no escape once it goes down. If it had been open topped/sided the death toll would likely have been much less, possibly zero if they’d all been wearing life jackets also. Captain should have issued the order to don life jackets as soon as it was apparent they were struggling as it didn’t just suddenly happen.
You usually have to wear life jackets on those things. But couple that with those aftermarket canopies and windows that they’ve installed, there’s no escape once it goes down. If it had been open topped/sided the death toll would likely have been much less, possibly zero if they’d all been wearing life jackets also. Captain should have issued the order to don life jackets as soon as it was apparent they were struggling as it didn’t just suddenly happen.
dvs_dave said:
Terrible accident and loss of lives.
You usually have to wear life jackets on those things.
I have been on several, including one being piloted by a 5 year old on a river in Boston, and have never been offered a life jacket. They are on the rack above your head but not for general useYou usually have to wear life jackets on those things.
dvs_dave said:
Captain should have issued the order to don life jackets as soon as it was apparent they were struggling as it didn’t just suddenly happen .
This occurred to me when I saw the video. No one was escaping and I bet it is because they were waiting to be given instructions.Seems like a series of tragic mistakes. No doubt the owner / operator and captain (If still alive) will be liable for this.
Madness they were even allowed out on the water having seen the conditions. Easy to jump to conclusions, but a greedy operator not wanting to cancel and miss out on some revenue in dubious conditions seems to be the main issue.
Madness they were even allowed out on the water having seen the conditions. Easy to jump to conclusions, but a greedy operator not wanting to cancel and miss out on some revenue in dubious conditions seems to be the main issue.
johnxjsc1985 said:
9 members of one family have died in this tragedy. Does anyone know when the weather turned so nasty the conditions looked horrendous especially as it was on a lake rather than out at sea when conditions can turn very quickly
Having done the London Duck tour I don't think I would want to be out in one in anything more than calm water. They sit very low in the water.When I saw the first video I thought it was at sea!
Edited by 98elise on Saturday 21st July 15:41
johnxjsc1985 said:
9 members of one family have died in this tragedy. Does anyone know when the weather turned so nasty the conditions looked horrendous especially as it was on a lake rather than out at sea when conditions can turn very quickly
According to American forums I sometimes go on local said weather came in very quickly However towns in the path pass in the storm info is the general consensus.
Yes the storms came in very quickly - but from what I read (don't have source URL to hand) there was a weather forecast for severe thunderstorms in the area at the time. The operators either weren't paying much attention to forecasting or didn't think this posed a real threat.
I have been slightly surprised when in the US previously, that people seem very oblivious of dangerous weather. Perhaps I pay much more attention as a visitor because their extreme weather is interesting to me. I can think of several occasions when I've been near a lake with an obvious and imminently approaching thunderstorm and yet you still see people launching their ski boats only for everyone to then try piling back onto the slipway 5 minutes later when there's overhead lightning and strong winds. I remember another time being on an exposed boardwalk over water when an electrical storm was approaching, telling my wife and kids 'right we're getting off here' heading towards land and people just streaming past us. Not sure if I'm just paranoid about these things but then I wasn't exactly comforted by somebody telling me that lightning can't strike boats (which I was on at the time). Another time I was camping in woodland when a heavy storm came overhead. They all thought I was nuts for sitting in the car.
I have been slightly surprised when in the US previously, that people seem very oblivious of dangerous weather. Perhaps I pay much more attention as a visitor because their extreme weather is interesting to me. I can think of several occasions when I've been near a lake with an obvious and imminently approaching thunderstorm and yet you still see people launching their ski boats only for everyone to then try piling back onto the slipway 5 minutes later when there's overhead lightning and strong winds. I remember another time being on an exposed boardwalk over water when an electrical storm was approaching, telling my wife and kids 'right we're getting off here' heading towards land and people just streaming past us. Not sure if I'm just paranoid about these things but then I wasn't exactly comforted by somebody telling me that lightning can't strike boats (which I was on at the time). Another time I was camping in woodland when a heavy storm came overhead. They all thought I was nuts for sitting in the car.
The tour company owner was interviewed on CBS News and apparently they knew storms were in the area, but as someone mentioned they can come in quickly. He also said they had life jackets on board but the law does not require them to be worn. I understand the captain survived but the driver did not. They looked very enclosed so I dread the think of the panic in people trying to get out. I’m sure the captain was having a tough decision between calling abondon ship vs trying to make it back and a very thorough investigation will be forthcoming.
johnxjsc1985 said:
9 members of one family have died in this tragedy. Does anyone know when the weather turned so nasty the conditions looked horrendous especially as it was on a lake rather than out at sea when conditions can turn very quickly
That was 9 out of 11 members of the same family on the same boat. How the f
k do the surviving 2 ever recover from that. Truly horrific. theboss said:
Yes the storms came in very quickly - but from what I read (don't have source URL to hand) there was a weather forecast for severe thunderstorms in the area at the time. The operators either weren't paying much attention to forecasting or didn't think this posed a real threat.
I have been slightly surprised when in the US previously, that people seem very oblivious of dangerous weather. Perhaps I pay much more attention as a visitor because their extreme weather is interesting to me. I can think of several occasions when I've been near a lake with an obvious and imminently approaching thunderstorm and yet you still see people launching their ski boats only for everyone to then try piling back onto the slipway 5 minutes later when there's overhead lightning and strong winds. I remember another time being on an exposed boardwalk over water when an electrical storm was approaching, telling my wife and kids 'right we're getting off here' heading towards land and people just streaming past us. Not sure if I'm just paranoid about these things but then I wasn't exactly comforted by somebody telling me that lightning can't strike boats (which I was on at the time). Another time I was camping in woodland when a heavy storm came overhead. They all thought I was nuts for sitting in the car.
Yes there was. This was 30 minutes before the sinking but there had been storm warnings for 8 hours previous aleegdedly I have been slightly surprised when in the US previously, that people seem very oblivious of dangerous weather. Perhaps I pay much more attention as a visitor because their extreme weather is interesting to me. I can think of several occasions when I've been near a lake with an obvious and imminently approaching thunderstorm and yet you still see people launching their ski boats only for everyone to then try piling back onto the slipway 5 minutes later when there's overhead lightning and strong winds. I remember another time being on an exposed boardwalk over water when an electrical storm was approaching, telling my wife and kids 'right we're getting off here' heading towards land and people just streaming past us. Not sure if I'm just paranoid about these things but then I wasn't exactly comforted by somebody telling me that lightning can't strike boats (which I was on at the time). Another time I was camping in woodland when a heavy storm came overhead. They all thought I was nuts for sitting in the car.
Don’t know how long they were in the water.
awful stuff:
I lost all my children, I lost my husband, I lost my mother-in-law, I lost my father-in-law, I lost my uncle, I lost my sister-in-law - she was my sister - and I lost my nephew, I'm OK, but this is really hard," she told Fox News.
"The captain told us 'Don't worry about grabbing the life jackets, you won't need them,' so nobody grabbed them because we listened to the captain and he told us to stay seated.
I lost all my children, I lost my husband, I lost my mother-in-law, I lost my father-in-law, I lost my uncle, I lost my sister-in-law - she was my sister - and I lost my nephew, I'm OK, but this is really hard," she told Fox News.
"The captain told us 'Don't worry about grabbing the life jackets, you won't need them,' so nobody grabbed them because we listened to the captain and he told us to stay seated.
I've been on numerous ones in the US and never felt unsafe, as someone said however they do sit low in the water and aren't particularly powerful. The one's i've been on have all been open with roll down sides for inclement weather. This one seems like it's got permanent sides with no escape other than from the rear.
I wouldn't say they are unsafe, there's only been 2 actual sinkings with deaths that were the fault of the company/equipment, If they're not banned then i would say they would need improvements, they're certainly not designed for driving on busy streets
I wouldn't say they are unsafe, there's only been 2 actual sinkings with deaths that were the fault of the company/equipment, If they're not banned then i would say they would need improvements, they're certainly not designed for driving on busy streets
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