“Mass Casualty Scene” in Branson duck boat sinking

[The Mystery Machine]

http://www.kmov.com/story/38688804/...ock-lake-involving-boat-near-branson-missouri

Horrible. I have been staying away from it. My sister told me details today.

As a boater I know storms can creep up on you there. It is such a fishbowl and when you see it, it is on you. We started carrying a weather radio on the boat on Table Rock because of that.

So sad for those vacationing families. No words.

I have Rode the Ducks many times in Branson. It is not cheap.

They are driven by retired military.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

They should require the roof to be flooting and to break away from the vehicle when submerged.

 

[DisneyOma]

They should require the roof to be flooting and to break away from the vehicle when submerged.

Flooting? Oh, floating, perhaps? It would be, if it wasn't attached. Not sure how you could get something to break off when submerged, compared to just being wet, etc. How many times has this happened, that people were trapped under a canopy on a duck boat?

 

[mitsukoshi samurai]

a few times

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Flooting? Oh, floating, perhaps? It would be, if it wasn't attached. Not sure how you could get something to break off when submerged, compared to just being wet, etc. How many times has this happened, that people were trapped under a canopy on a duck boat?

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2...-duck-boat-crash-calls-for-ban-of-duck-boats/

"The issue of duck boat safety emerged in the Miss Majestic sinking in Arkansas in 1999 that drowned 11,” said Mongeluzzi. “They have several fatal flaws. They are equipped with canopies which will entrap passengers who put on their life vests preventing them from getting out of this vessel in the event of the sinking. The second is that they ride very low in the water."

After the Miss Majestic tragedy the NTSB recommended that canopies be removed from duck oats because when the vessel sinks the buoyancy of life jackets will trap the passengers beneath the canopy, preventing escapes and drowning them,” said Mongeluzzi. “The industry never complied.”

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Sorry Floating. I the roofs were buoyant enough or the roof housing was telescoped into mounts it seems it would be pretty easy.

 

[kimblebee]

I Feel the same way. No way should anyone have allowed her to be interviewed. It felt wrong to be watching it. Honestly? If it were me, I’d probably just end it all. I cannot even fathom coming back from that. Ever.

It's almost like it shouldn't be allowed, the way others can't make legal decisions if they're not in their right frame of mind. There's no way she was in her right frame of mind hours after losing nine members of her immediate family and her own near drowning! They did a much better job in Thailand shielding the boys from the cave from the press than we've done here, for sure.

I guess you both missed my post where I said the mom wanted to be interviewed because she knew friends and family would be watching and she could reach out to them at the same time.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I guess you both missed my post where I said the mom wanted to be interviewed because she knew friends and family would be watching and she could reach out to them at the same time.

No, I saw it. It doesn't change what I feel. She was still not in a good or right state of mind directly after these tragedies (we know that's a period of shock in the human psyche) and therefore she was taken advantage of by people who didn't have her best interest at heart. There aren't laws about it like there are about people not being able to make legal decisions when they're not in their right frame of minds, but it still doesn't make it right. There are plenty of other ways to reach out to people. Years from now it will be very hard for her to watch and continue to see that footage.

 

[mom2rtk]

I guess you both missed my post where I said the mom wanted to be interviewed because she knew friends and family would be watching and she could reach out to them at the same time.

It still seems very wrong to me. It's not so hard to communicate with large groups of friends and family these days that TV is your only choice. I don't blame her though. She was likely in shock and not thinking clearly. I blame the media for putting her on. There was another interview today with her as well.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2...-duck-boat-crash-calls-for-ban-of-duck-boats/

"The issue of duck boat safety emerged in the Miss Majestic sinking in Arkansas in 1999 that drowned 11,” said Mongeluzzi. “They have several fatal flaws. They are equipped with canopies which will entrap passengers who put on their life vests preventing them from getting out of this vessel in the event of the sinking. The second is that they ride very low in the water."

After the Miss Majestic tragedy the NTSB recommended that canopies be removed from duck oats because when the vessel sinks the buoyancy of life jackets will trap the passengers beneath the canopy, preventing escapes and drowning them,” said Mongeluzzi. “The industry never complied.”

It’s understandable though. The canopy provides the only relief from the Summer sun. These boats would be miserable to be on with no shade, and I doubt many would want to ride.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

It’s understandable though. The canopy provides the only relief from the Summer sun. These boats would be miserable to be on with no shade, and I doubt many would want to ride.

Time to appreciate our soldiers! I have been looking at many many images and info about military duck boats in WWII. They really helped the European defense of WWII, saving so many lives and bringing massive amounts of supplies, troops and ordinance.

I haven't decided whether it's ironic or disgusting that once the duck boats helped win the war, they were brought back for civilian use and the civilians were like, "put a canopy on it!" and turned them into death traps.

 

[mom2rtk]

It’s understandable though. The canopy provides the only relief from the Summer sun. These boats would be miserable to be on with no shade, and I doubt many would want to ride.

I see the issue with it. But I wouldn't ride one without the shade relief.

 

[PollyannaMom]

It’s understandable though. The canopy provides the only relief from the Summer sun. These boats would be miserable to be on with no shade, and I doubt many would want to ride.

Couldn't they do shade with canvas strips across the top? Something like this:


(just a crude sketch in MSPaint but you get the idea)

It wouldn't be one big "bubble" and it would be flexible so people could squeeze out between the pieces in an emergency

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Couldn't they do shade with canvas strips across the top? Something like this:

View attachment 338695
(just a crude sketch in MSPaint but you get the idea)

It wouldn't be one big "bubble" and it would be flexible so people could squeeze out between the pieces in an emergency

I could see things potentially getting caught on strips like that in the chaos of a sinking or overturned boat - maybe a belt buckle or jacket string, etc. The article above didn’t say it, but I saw that lawyer talking on the news, and he said that people he represented were disoriented in space underwater and didn’t know if they were headed up or down. It’s such a harrowing thing - I just don’t know if that would be more helpful as opposed to a quick release mechanism. I’m sure there will be lots of talk about it, though!