• Just Ducky Tours continue here after Missouri tragedy,
Duck boat tours continued on Pittsburgh’s roads and rivers a day after one of the amphibious vehicles capsized on a Missouri lake, killing 17 people.
Despite the accident, dozens of people boarded Just Ducky Tours’ fleet Friday for an hour-long informational excursion around Station Square, Downtown, the North Shore and the confluence of the three rivers. Several people who took tours said they were aware of the tragedy at Table Rock Lake in Branson, Mo., but they felt safe.
“It was in my mind,” said Matt Hampson, 20, of Pine, “but I was not worried.”
Mr. Hampson said he made reservations for his tour Wednesday — before the accident — and he didn’t have any thoughts about canceling when he heard the news.
Just Ducky Tours is privately owned and not connected to the tour group in Missouri.
The official cause of the sinking in Missouri had not been determined, but investigators initially blamed thunderstorms and winds that the National Weather Service clocked at 65 mph.
“We looked at the weather and there was a 60 percent chance of rain (during the tour),” Mr. Hampson said. “If it was raining, I’m sure they would have canceled.”
Brian and Emily Elmore, visiting from Williamsburg, Va., were riding the Monongahela Incline when they decided to also take a Just Ducky Tour.
The couple, in town with their two children to explore the region’s French and Indian War history, heard about Thursday’s sinking in Missouri but decided to take the tour anyway on Friday.
“I’m sure whatever happened was a freak accident,” said Mr. Elmore, 38.
Still, Ms. Elmore, 42, admitted to having a little trepidation: “I prayed while we were out there.”
The Elmores said they decided not to look into the details of the accident before the tour — “I definitely didn’t read the story before I went on,” Mr. Elmore said.
Just Ducky Tours, which operates eight amphibious vehicles, said in a statement that it has “led the development of policies and procedures that are known as best practices in our industry.”
“Those include ensuring that two properly trained professionals are aboard every vessel, for each and every Just Ducky tour. Each vessel is controlled by a United States Coast Guard certified captain. Additionally, we operate in close proximity to exit points and ramps along our rivers and our vessels are in constant and direct communication with our headquarters throughout each tour by Marine radio,” the statement said.
General Motors developed the DUKW in 1942 and the amphibious vehicles became known as “ducks.”