© 2026 ABC News

Severe weather warnings are typically sent to phones for tornadoes, flash floods or hurricanes, but those alerts are not issued for thunderstorm warnings. Boat operators would have known about the warning if there was a radio on board, or if they got a Twitter alert on their phone, though any tour boat company likely would have some kind of communication in place.

7 p.m.

The area was hit with a severe thunderstorm with winds of 63 miles per hour.

\"PHOTO:
Courtesy Trent Behr
PHOTO: A video grab shows a tourist duck boat taking on water in a lake near Branson, Mo., July 20, 2018.
>

7:09 p.m.

The first call to 911 about the boat going under water was received shortly after 7 p.m., according to Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader.

\"PHOTO:
Courtesy Trent Behr
PHOTO: A video grab shows a tourist duck boat taking on water in a lake near Branson, Mo., July 20, 2018.
>

Between 7:16 p.m. and 7:44 p.m.

Local emergency dispatchers field calls about the rescue operation, requesting boats to help make water rescues and responding to reported injuries.

\"PHOTO:
Courtesy Trent Behr
PHOTO: A video grab shows a tourist duck boat taking on water in a lake near Branson, Mo., July 20, 2018.
>

Friday July 20, 6:06 a.m. local time

In a phone interview with \"CBS This Morning,\" the president of the company that owned the duck boat said that “no one was expecting” the storm but the boat “shouldn’t have been in the water if what happened happened.”

\"PHOTO:
Southern State County Fire Protection District/Reuters
PHOTO: Rescue personnel are seen after an amphibious "duck boat" capsized and sank, at Table Rock Lake near Branson, Stone County, Mo., July 19, 2018.
>

7:40 a.m.

President Donald Trump shared his thoughts and sympathies with the victims and their families.

“My deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those involved in the terrible boat accident which just took place in Missouri. Such a tragedy, such a great loss. May God be with you all!” he wrote on Twitter.

My deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those involved in the terrible boat accident which just took place in Missouri. Such a tragedy, such a great loss. May God be with you all!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 20, 2018

1 p.m.

The first investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are expected to arrive on the scene.

","canonicalUrl":"https://abcnews.com/US/missouri-duck-boat-capsize-unfolded-amid-weather-warnings/story?id=56711130","legacySlug":"/news/story/missouri-duck-boat-capsize-unfolded-amid-weather-warnings-56711130","noIndexNoFollow":false},"publishTime":"16:15","publishDate":"07-20-2018","updatedTime":"17:05","updatedDate":"07-20-2018","socialImage":{"alt":"A handout frame grab made available by the Southern Stone County Fire Protection District shows responding agencies after an amphibious duck boat reportedly capsized on Table Rock Lake in Branson, Mo., July 19, 2018.","credit":"Southern Stone County Fire Protection District/EPA/Rex/Shutterstock","ratio":"16x9","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/US/duck-3-sh-er-180720_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg","width":992,"height":558},"datePublished":"7/20/2018 16:15:45 GMT","video":{"live":false,"id":56711130,"headline":"Duck boat capsize unfolded amid weather warnings","mediaAssetTitle":"DUCK BOAT TICK-TOCK","description":"The deadly crash came shortly after high winds and a thunderstorm warning.","duration":"1:34","posterImg":{"url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","width":608,"height":342},"video":{"feed":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/07/180720_abc_duckboatMIX1_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8"},"playlist":["132306053","132266872","132055565"]},"relatedItems":[{"contentType":"video","date":"April 23, 2026","headline":"Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","section":"News","slug":"/video/132306053","id":"132306053","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Trump orders Navy to 'shoot and kill' any boat laying mines in Strait of Hormuz","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260423_gma_scott_ceasefire3_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 22, 2026","headline":"Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","section":"News","slug":"/video/132266872","id":"132266872","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: Fallout after Fed nominee grilled on Capitol Hill","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260422_gma_schulze_fed3_713_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}},{"contentType":"video","date":"April 15, 2026","headline":"American influencer found dead in Tanzania","section":"News","slug":"/video/132055565","id":"132055565","image":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","ratio":"1x1","url":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","width":384,"height":384},"images":{"alt":"VIDEO: American influencer found dead in Tanzania","credit":"ABCNews.com","crops":[{"16x9":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"9x16":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_9x16_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_16x9_1600.jpg"}},{"1x1":{"small":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_608.jpg","medium":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_992.jpg","large":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/260415_gma_norwood_ashlee2_732_hpMain_1x1_1600.jpg"}}]}}],"relatedContentSection":"news","schemaContent":{"name":"Duck boat capsize unfolded amid weather warnings","description":"The deadly crash came shortly after high winds and a thunderstorm warning.","duration":"1:34","uploadDate":"07-20-2018","publication":"07-20-2018","images":"https://s.abcnews.com/images/GMA/default-img-undefined.png","url":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/07/180720_abc_duckboatMIX1_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","contentUrl":"https://service-pkgabcnews.akamaized.net/opp/hls/abcnews/2018/07/180720_abc_duckboatMIX1_,500,800,1200,1800,2500,3200,4500,.mp4.csmil/playlist.m3u8","link":"https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/news/story/missouri-duck-boat-capsize-unfolded-amid-weather-warnings-56711130"}},"playlist":[{"id":"132281378","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132283010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132273278","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132231169","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132206748","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132200241","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054443","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132054798","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"132033010","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131912713","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131830583","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131834976","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554765","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131554815","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131543053","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131432442","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131121474","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131247079","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131228784","contentType":"story","section":"news"},{"id":"131178806","contentType":"story","section":"news"}],"kvps":{"pgtyp":"article","lang":"en","sp":"goodmorningamerica","programmatic":"true","bundleId":"com.abcnews"}},"analytics":{"accountID":"wdgnewwdgnewgmaweb","ns":"gma","pageName":"gma:news:video","pageType":"video","globalSpecVersion":"v1.08","siteDifferentiator":"gma:site","tagID":"g_page01","userABCookie":"0","section":"news","title":"Duck boat capsize unfolded amid weather warnings","pubTime":"12:15","pubDate":"07-20-2018","modTime":"13:05","modDate":"07-20-2018","taxonomyTags":"none","id":56711130,"editorialOtherSubjects":"","wordCount":"none","columns":"none","authors":"","authorsUnit":"none","authorsBureau":"none","subBrand":"Good Morning America","provider":"Good Morning America","videoName":"Duck boat capsize unfolded amid weather warnings","mediaAssetTitle":"DUCK BOAT TICK-TOCK","videoId":56711130,"mediaOnPage":"video","legacySlug":"/news/story/missouri-duck-boat-capsize-unfolded-amid-weather-warnings-56711130"},"taboola":{}},"request":{"headers":{},"httpVersion":"1.1","method":"GET","url":"/video/56711130","vary":{"host":"www.goodmorningamerica.com","cached":true,"path":"/video/56711130","forwarded-proto":"https","device":"desktop","userab":"0"}},"viewport":{"width":1260,"height":0},"user":{}};