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Nine of the same family are among seventeen casualties, including children, from the sinking of a tourist boat after a storm on a lake in Missouri, United States.
This tragic accident has revived criticisms of the safety of duck boats, hybrid boats often made from recycled army vehicles, popular among tourists in many US cities.
The accident occurred Thursday evening on Table Rock Lake after a storm. A video taken by a witness shows the boat struggling with strong winds, trying to reach the shore before succumbing to the waves and starting to sink.
Nine of the 17 victims bore the name of Coleman, and were aged one year old at 76, sheriff's services announced
"My heart is very heavy. On 11 of us, there are only two who survive, it's me and my nephew, "Fox told the channel, voice broken, Tia Coleman from his hospital bed.
"I lost all my children. I lost my husband. I lost my mother-in-law and my father-in-law, "as well as other family members," she told Indianapolis Television.
Three generations of this family of Indianapolis, including four children, have died, according to the New York Times, citing another family member, Carolyn Coleman.
They rented a van and went to Branson for their annual road trip, she told the newspaper.
Five of the 17 victims were under 16 years old. The sinking also resulted in several injuries.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) opened an investigation. It will have to determine, among other things, whether the crew was warned of the weather conditions and whether the pbadengers were wearing life jackets.
"From what I understand, there were lifejackets in the boat", said Sheriff Doug Rader
According to Ms. Coleman, the boat's captain had told pbadengers earlier in their trip that they would not "need" lifejackets.
"I think a lot of people could have been saved, "she said, adding that the water" did not seem threatening at first ".
The amphibious-type boat – it can move on land with the help of wheels – had on board 31 people according to the authorities. Several pbadengers managed to return to shore alone
The pilot of the boat also died, according to the police
He was one of two crew members of Ripley Entertainment , the US media reported.
President Donald Trump tweeted his "most sincere condolences" to the families and loved ones of the victims. "What a tragedy, what a great loss. May God be with you all, "Trump wrote.
– Winds 119 km / h –
The boat ran aground 25 meters deep in this artificial lake in southern Missouri on the border with Arkansas, popular with tourists.
Winds of up to 119 km / h have been recorded, causing falls and power outages in the area, said Steve Lindenberg, a weather forecaster. Springfield, 72 km north of Branson.
"Our heart is really heavy tonight," said Branson's town hall in a statement. The town hall has remained open to welcome the victims and their relatives. Branson is a popular holiday destination, with its country music and performance halls.
Dubbed "duck boats", these amphibious truck-boats have already been investigated after other fatal accidents.
In 1999, the Miss Majestic, a former US Army vehicle, sank with 13 deaths in Hot Springs, Arkansas, due to "improper maintenance."
As a result of this tragedy, the NTSB had recommended in 2002 to improve their buoyancy by creating watertight compartments to keep them afloat if they were to be submerged.
He also recommended that no canopy be placed or made sure that it did not interfere with the ability of pbadengers to escape.
It was also noted at the time that the authorities did not have a uniform inspection policy covering the whole country.
Duck boats are deadly traps, "said Andrew Duffy, a Philadelphia lawyer whose firm has defended victims of similar accidents, quoted Friday by the Chicago Tribune.
On October 2, 2005, 21 people were killed on the scene. Lake George, in New York State, in the sinking of a pbadenger boat aboard which was a group of 48 tourists, most of them Canadian. The boat, according to witnesses, would have returned while pbading in the wake of a more powerful ship.
AFP
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