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A Year After Tragedy, Branson Debates Future Of Duck Boats

A year after a duck boat sank and killed 17 people in a Missouri lake, the future of the tourist attraction remains a topic of debate.

Former Branson Mayor Karen Best had to inform the families of those who died on July 19, 2018, on Table Rock Lake. She told The Kansas City Star that she will never forget the survivors' screams and crying, and she doesn't see any reason the duck boats should return to the lake.

Best's replacement, Mayor Edd Akers, says he is open to the attraction returning if the boats are altered and have improved safety measures. Akers said when all the lawsuits from the tragedy are settled, he will propose that the city create a memorial to the duck boat victims.

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