Branson duck boat operator was warned in 2017 of dangers, inspector says
BRANSON MO NEWS: BRANSON, Mo. – Mechanical inspector Steven Paul said Sunday he warned the company operating the now-capsized duck boat in Missouri about massive design flaws and dangerous safety issues almost a year before Thursday’s tragic accident that killed 17 people and injured seven others.
“My first thought was I was thankful that me and my family weren’t on the ducks,” he told Fox News in a telephone interview. “My second thought was, ‘Oh man, I probably inspected that boat.'”
Paul, who served in the U.S. Army for 6 years as a diesel mechanic before opening Test Drive Technologies in 2009, told Fox he was hired by Ripley Entertainment last year to inspect 24 duck boats. The Florida-based company had been interested in buying the businesses and wanted an assessment.
“My inspection was so they had the opportunity to know what they were buying before the sale was final,” Paul said.
Paul said he sent the company a “2-to-3-page fleet inspection report” as well as 24 checklist reports and “as many as 20 photos for each duck” he inspected in August 2017. In the report, he cautioned that the boats’ engines -and pumps that remove water from their hulls- might fail in bad weather. In rough conditions, water could get into the exhaust system, and then into the motor, cutting it off. With the motor off, its pump for removing water from the hull would not operate.
In Paul’s interview with Fox, he added that the boats’ canopies can turn into “death traps” because when the boat sinks, people cannot get out from underneath the canopy.
After filing his report last year, Paul said he came home and told his wife that the family “would not be riding the ducks” anymore.
A source with knowledge of the report but not authorized to speak publicly about it strongly …
Author:
SPONSOR:
Best Branson Condos: The best deals in Branson Missouri for nightly condo rentals. Quality condo rentals with no hidden fees or catches. The best option when visiting Branson, Missouri for your next vacation.
VISIT: Best Branson Condos for more information.
Powered by WPeMatico
All Things Branson Sponsor:All Things Branson Sponsor: