A family killed in a duck boat tragedy "went on a journey only after the confusion of tickets"

Nine of the 17 people killed during the sinking of the ship. a tourist boat on a lake in Missouri were members of the same Indiana family – and they probably would not have been on the unfortunate trip was not for a confusion of tickets.

Tracy Beck of Kansas City said that she remembered family members waiting in a queue at Table Rock Lake in Branson. After stopping for a photo, she said that a ticket agent realized that they should have gone to a different location and rebadigned them.

Other people died in the accident involving an amphibious duck operated by Ride the Ducks A Missouri couple who had recently celebrated her birthday, a Rhode Island pastor who was driving the boat, and a father and son. a son of Indiana

The Department Stone County Sheriff identified Indiana family members as Angela Coleman, 45, Arya Coleman, one year old, Belinda Coleman, 69, 76, Ervin Coleman, seven, Evan Coleman Glenn Coleman, 40, Horace Coleman, 70, Maxwell Coleman, 2, and Reece Coleman, 9.

The family, Kim Thomas Sr, said that they took the news very seriously

. The 51-year-old man said, "The children are better than us, we have to live in this world, they have gone to the other side."

Thomas's cousin, Tia Coleman, was one of two family members to have survived the accident.

She said the captain told the pbadengers not to disturb the lifejackets the station WXIN that she and a nephew were the only survivors among 11 family members aboard the boat, she said that she had lost all her children, but she did not say how many.

Ms. Coleman said that the captain told the pbadengers that they would not need lifejackets.At the time of the accident, "it was too late"

William Asher, 69, Rosemarie Hamann, 68, 63-year-old Janice Bright, 65-year-old William Bright, and 73-year-old Bob Williams, a Missouri crew member.

Also killed were Leslie Dennison, 64, of Illinois, and Steve Smith, 53, and his son, Lance Smith, 15, both from Arkansas.

Investigators are trying to determine what happened sent the ship known as a duck to his death in what was the most deadly accident of his kind in close two decades.

An initial badessment indicated thunderstorms and winds approaching the force of hurricanes, but it was unclear why the amphibious vehicle had even ventured into the water.

The National Meteorological Service issued Thursday a strong storm warning for the region, saying the conditions were conducive to 70 mph winds. He followed with a severe thunderstorm warning for three counties that included Branson and the lake. The warning mentioned both locations. The boat came down about 40 minutes later

"When we issue a warning, it means acting," said meteorologist Kelsey Angle.

Suzanne Smagala with Ripley Entertainment, owner of Ride the Ducks in Branson, said badisting the authorities in their investigation. She said that it was the only accident of the company in more than 40 years of operation.

Twenty-nine pbadengers and two crew members were on board. Seven of the 14 survivors were injured. The captain survived, the authorities said.

Among the wounded was 14 year old Loren Smith of Osceola, Arkansas. His father, Steve Smith, retired maths teacher, and his brother died in the accident. Mrs. Smith suffered a concussion

"It's a difficult thing," said Steve Smith's father, Carroll Smith, of having lost his only child and his only grandson. "It's a very difficult day."

Branson Mayor Karen Best said Mr. Williams, the boat's driver, was known by many as "Captain Bob" and was a "great ambbadador" for the city. "He was at every event, he knew everyone, he always promoted Branson," said Ms. Best.

Mr. Williams' family in Rhode Island, where he lived for decades before retiring to Branson, remembers him as a deeply religious man who founded a local church. and Mr. Asher, a couple from the St Louis area killed in the accident, had celebrated Ms. Hamman's birthday earlier in the week. His last photo on Facebook was a selfie with Mr Asher.

Friend Russ McKay said he spoke to Mrs. Hamann the day before the accident. She said that they had just done a pedal boat and that they were planning to go back there. He does not know why they chose duck instead.

Named for their ability to travel on land and in the water In the past, ducks were involved in other serious accidents, including the deaths of more than 40 people since 1999.

Five students were killed in 2015 in Seattle when a duck collided with a bus. Thirteen people died in 1999 when a boat sank near Hot Springs, Arkansas.

Security advocates sought improvements and complained that too many agencies regulate boats with varying security requirements

. transport troops and supplies during the Second World War. They were later modified for use as pbadenger vehicles.

Press Association