Normalized Negligence: The Tragedy Aboard Stretch Duck 7

My family took Duck Tours in Hot Springs all throughout the 2000s and in Seattle in the fall of 2014. If I had known at the time how dangerous they were, I never would have gone.

Man I love this channel, ever thought about Aviation Disasters ? I love the in depth information that is provided. Love the show mayday but the actors drive me nuts , great job!

Just started the video, but the girl that made the 911 call... She really did well, you could tell she was about to lose it.

Bloody hell.

My father never trusted those things when I was growing up and refused to let us ride on them. I see his worries were well earned.

As a person with an instinctive fear of "novelty" commercial vehicles and rides but with little engineering savvy, these documentaries remind me again and again to keep trusting my guts to keep both nuts. Kudos to the chaps going to great lengths to educate us all and expose the fatal flaws in these death traps, including all the knowledgeable commenters on the channels. You're saving lives out here!

When I heard 9 of the victims were from one family, my heart sank.

I think I went on one of these in Texas with my mom when I was REALLY little. I barely remember it but from what I do remember it was fun, like a river rollercoaster. It’s crazy how as I’ve grown up a lot of the things I enjoyed when I was younger like Duck Tours and Shamoo at Seaworld have been revealed as some of the worst examples of humanities greed, negligence, and cruelty.

One duck boat ride and never again, I can’t believe how foolish we were to get on one back in Nashville about 14 years ago, they even let my husband drive it in the water and we were astonished that was allowed (or maybe it wasn’t and they broke the law). It’s honestly the only time in the 20 years of our relationship that I’ve questioned my husbands sanity in hindsight. I will get on that coaster in Las Vegas that drops you over the side of building again before a duck boat, even if they are more regulated now

My family did the advertising and surface oudoor graphics for the Branson Ducks. All is off our site now. RIP all. Our same famly has had experience upon our 76' sailboat with sudden powerfull storms upon Table Rock Lake. Though a man made lake storms can be sudden and deadly serious.

I lived in Branson for a yr, and the you wouldn't think the ducks wore dangerous

I worked the duck boats in Wi Dells for part of a summer. It was too stressful and no one knew anything except the script we were given. We weren't trained. Even at 17 I knew it was all about the money. That was 20 years ago, so hopefully its gotten better.

We have these things in Australia "Aquaduck" is one company.
I hope they're safe.

Rode those a year before the incident. It was fun but was constantly making sure I could get me and my family off the boat at the first sign of trouble. I never relaxed the entire trip. I can say I wasn't surprised when this happened. If you look up cheap tourist trap in the dictionary, there will be a picture of Branson Mo. Most of the attractions are shoddy and almost trashy. I went to an "aquarium" where I saw sharks and other sealife swimming in pools made from black rubber tarps over hay bails. The good attractions that aren't cheap like the Titanic museum costs an arm and a leg. I don't mind paying to go to a good museum but they really gouge you because it's Branson.

In 2013 A duck vehicle went down in the Albert Dock, Liverpool, UK. Carrying 31 passengers. All survived. The tourist trips were stopped after that. Shortly after another duck caught fire on the Thames, London. Again 30 people escaped. These vehicles are death traps.

We have a similar ride here in Halifax NS called the Harbour Hopper, says it's a LARC-V military 5 tin cargo vehicle. Not sure how that compares though.

They still have these in hot springs. They even bought the old ones from Missouri and Baltimore. They had the registration numbers from PA and MO. They are called duck tours

I rode one of these when I was little, I was terrified of boats but my parents and sister really wanted wanted to go. I shudder looking back on it now.

While Branson once again has amphibious bus tours, the new vehicles are actually modern production Bebuzee hydra-terra amphibious buses.
They have foam filled compartments and brags that it is, even with all the drain plugs removed and the entire engine room flooded, "unsinkable", due to the buoyancy foam.
Driver has better visibility, multiple engines, passed US Coast Guard inspection processes.
The idea of amphibious bus tours is still interesting, so it's nice to see what appears to be a modern and safer solution to giving tourists a safe adventure.

There are duck boats in Dublin operated by Viking Tours. They drive around the city centre and go into the river Liffey for the boating part of the city tour.

If one of them sank, the biggest risks I can think of are
- Being two or three feet deep in dirty Liffey water
- the large aggressive seagulls that hang around there
- public chaos

But, for real, this story is terrifying in comparison. Makes me think (or have future anxiety) I should put on a life jacket while I'm OUTSIDE of the craft. Cave divers have often died due to being buoyant against a closed roof and not getting out. :( fml.

The irony that they made better amphibious vehicles 80 years ago and used them better despite all the technological advancements we've made since that time:)

As of November 2023 there are still "Duck Tours" operating in Hot Springs, AR on Hamilton Lake...and they all have canopies.

What a nightmare

Throw the driver in jail.

I believe duck boats are still being used in Hot Springs Arkansas

I saw one those boats on San Francisco Bay, near the Bay Bridge a few years ago. I had sailed up that day and had to avoid it. The operator of that vessel was in violation of USCG right of way rules. As the duck boat got close, all the passengers started quacking. I am glad those unsafe vessels are no longer in use, but there are a lot of other unsafe tour boats.

They were built for War not pleasure stupid

These vehicles were designed for war and young fit soldiers, not hauling the family on a ha ha around the lake. No additional flotation, hillbilly modifactions, emergency drills for passengers or responsible crew is a recipe for disaster. Weatherr changes quick and is unforgiving.

So many things wrong.... but why keep pounding into 60kt winds and high seas? Why not turn to hide behind the showboat or beach it?

As a former sailor, I always tell people that if you are ever on a sinking vessel do not don your lifejacket until you are on the upper decks in the open air. Many people panic and put them on when they are on the lower decks. Doing so will be your doom. Same applies if you are in a plane that has crashed in water and is floating. Don't attempt to put any flotation device on until you are clear of the aircraft. For the same reason.

I JUST NOTICED THE CHROMEHOUNDS MUSIC IN THE BACKGROUND??? CULTURED???

The girl I worked with lost her whole family that day basically! It was the same summer we were working together and she left and came back. Her name is Sierra and she was sweet and my heart broke for her 😭😭

The captan should be fired and is an ass

Pure Negligence

I didn't see a bow surf plate nor anybody using the onboard life jackets,

The Branson ride the ducks has reopened at a different location with safer vessels

I rode on one of those before

Just ducky tours is the new rebrand? Operating in pittsburgh

I'm 27, and remember riding these as a kid several times, up in Branson, MO. On this same lake. One time, on a perfect weather day, the driver/captain allowed kids to come up and steer the DUWK on the water a short distance, so I was able to, at probably 10 years old, drive one of these with others on board! Back then it was awesome, now I'm like... wow.

Branson has a new ride the ducks type thing. Branson Amphicar tours. Cant believe it would ever be a viable business ever again.

We were in branson when this happened. I have zero clue why they disregarded the weather. It was awful that day. It was so tragic. Im sorry to all the people affected by this.

We rode the ducks in Liverpool docks uk and they seemed just a fun outing. But they were stopped in the end, i presume after this incident. Tho I recall a few duck incidents in the news i think before the stopping of the ducks. I hadn't known how bad this sinking was, tho.

Dated a woman in Texas for a bit that was on it. She didn’t really talk about it much at all. I understand why after seeing this.

Miami Duck Tours is still kicking... of course.

A couple of days before this incident, I was on a duck boat tour on the same lake. The captain made several jokes about not needing life jackets, how the ducks never sank, how safe it all was, how silly anyone would be to be worried a problem could happen.

Thank you for covering this tragedy
Branson is known for sweeping things underneath the rug for Tourism

They still use them in chattanooga

Duck boats are huge where I live. Will definitely tell people how unsafe they are now that I know. Insane.