Thread: Duck Boat Tragedy

Prayers sent

Prayers sent.


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Prayers lifted up for all.

Can someone post the state's PFD regulations, please?
Ok, send a link to me in a PM.

Terrible tragedy. What kind of boats are those? When I heard Duck boat, I thought duck hunting boat but that's obviously not what it was.

They are military landing crafts.

I found this, not as strict as MS regulations.
All vessels 16 feet in length or longer must carry onewearable USCG–approved PFD (life jacket) for each personon board or being towed. Vessels less than 16 feet in lengthmust carry one wearable or one throwable USCG–approvedPFD for each person on board or being towed. Underfederal law, however, a wearable PFD is required for eachperson on board regardless of vessel length.■ Children under 7 years of age must wear a USCG–approvedPFD at all times while on board any vessel, unless the childis confined in a totally enclosed area of the vessel, such as thecabin area of a houseboat or day cruiser.

According to an interview I saw with one of the survivors today, they were shown the life jackets above them and where told they would not need them as they are only there for emergencies. She stated there were some comments by some of the passengers about how rough the lake was getting when they entered the water. She said they were never directed to put on the life vests. Sadly she and her 13yr old nephew were the only survivors of their family of 11. She lost her husband and 2 children as well as the others. The pilot of the boat also perished. From the weather warnings posted, for this area, ahead of time this does appear to be a case of operator error. For just situations like this I am glad that so many members, like myself, promote consistently the importance of wearing a PFD. I can't help but think that if an experienced angler/boater had been one of the passengers, they would have recognized the pending weather danger and not only put on a life vest but prompted others to do the same. As I have stated here before, I read an article some time back that stated "in over 80% of boating related drownings the victims were NOT wearing a PFD". The 4 out of 5 ratio is something we can hopefully make a difference in just by being an example.