Lake Hamilton Duck Tour Accident Site, Arkansas

A tragic tour accident occurred on Lake Hamilton, near Hot Springs, Arkansas, when an amphibious vessel known as a Duck (also DUKW) suddenly sank in 1999, 300 feet offshore, drowning 13 of the 21 people on board. The Duck, operated by White and Yellow Duck Sightseeing Tours, began taking on water soon after driving into the lake. The captain, noticing pooling water in the stern,  turned to go back to shore, but the boat filled and sank in 30 seconds, trapping many under its canopy. 21,000 of these unusual vessels were built by General Motors during WWII, and hundreds are still in use for amphibious tours in more than a dozen locations in the USA, including Boston, Philadelphia, Albany, and Wisconsin Dells.

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