Tourist Boat Capsize: At Least 11 Dead, 5 Missing in Missouri Storm

Local Editor

At least 11 people died when an amphibious tourist boat capsized during a storm Thursday evening on a lake near Branson, Mo., authorities said.

Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader told local media in a televised briefing that the boat capsized and sank on Table Rock Lake in a heavy storm. He said it appeared victims, which included children, had drowned.

Seven additional people were taken to a hospital, one with serious injuries, and another five people were thought to still be missing.

The sheriff said late Thursday that divers were wrapping up operations for the night and would resume their search in the morning.

He said the “duck”-style tourist boat was coming back toward land when it encountered heavy winds. Another boat made it back safely. Life jackets were on the boat but it wasn’t known whether they were worn.

The sheriff said one of his deputies was on the boat providing security at the time of the accident. He said the deputy was in the water trying to rescue some of the other passengers when rescuers arrived.

He said the company that owns the boat was on the scene and cooperating with authorities. The sheriff also appealed for video of the incident.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team