The Commandant of the US Coast Guard has convened a formal Marine Board of Investigation (MBI) into the loss of the amphibious duck boat Stretch Duck 07, on a lake near Branson, Missouri on July 19th, resulting in 17 deaths.
The vehicle had 29 passengers and two crewmembers aboard for a tour of Table Rock Lake when it capsized and sank during a sudden onset of severe weather. One crewmember and 16 passengers died.
A commandant-directed formal Marine Board of Investigation is the highest-level investigation in the Coast Guard, and the investigation into the Stretch Duck 07 is only the fifth MBI to be convened in the past 10 years. Previous MBIs investigated the F/V Destination, SS El Faro, Deepwater Horizon, and Alaska Ranger.
Captain Wayne Arguin, chairman of the Marine Board of Investigation, said that “the Coast Guard will conduct a thorough and detailed investigation to identify all potential causal factors associated with this tragedy.”
The MBI consists of five members who will investigate all aspects of the casualty. Panel members will decide the factors that contributed to the accident.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the USCG have agreed that the NTSB will lead the marine casualty investigation effort with the Coast Guard joining as an equal partner, in accordance with Joint Federal Regulations.