The duck boat that capsized in a lake near Branson, Missouri last week was brought to the surface by crews Monday.
It took the Coast Guard about three hours to recover the boat. Members of the community, still shaken by the tragedy, gathered at the lake to watch crews bring the sunken boat back to land.
Linda Fraser, a Branson resident who came to the lake Monday to show support, says it’s “bone chilling” to think about what happened.
Seventeen of the 31 people aboard the boat died when the duck boat from Ride the Ducks in Branson capsized into Table Rock Lake last Thursday. 11 of the people on the boat were relatives; 9 members of that Indianapolis family were killed.
“I think it's closure,” says Fraser, as she watches crews. “Our community came together as a whole to love on these people.
Donna Starling and her husband were on the lake, watching as crews pulled the boat from the bottom of the lake, which was about 80 feet under water.
“I think curiosity also gets everybody out, you know?” says Starling. “I think you want to actually see if you can figure out why it went down."
Investigators continue working to answer many lingering questions the public has regarding the weather on the day of the incident, the actions of the crew and the condition of the boat. Meanwhile, the community is doing its best to move forward.
The company Ride the Ducks in Branson says they will pay for all funeral expenses and medical bills of the victims. Travel accommodations for families of those affected by this tragedy will also be covered by the company.
