TRAGEDY

Missouri Duck Boat Captain Indicted in Deadly Sinking

Kenneth Scott McKee faces “17 counts of misconduct, negligence or inattention to duty by a ship’s officer resulting in death.”

Federal charges have been filed against the captain of a Missouri duck boat that capsized in a lake last July, killing 17 people, according to an Associated Press report. An indictment filed Thursday charges Kenneth Scott McKee, 51, with “17 counts of misconduct, negligence or inattention to duty by a ship’s officer resulting in death.” Federal prosecutors claim McKee did not tell duck boat passengers to “put on their flotation devices or prepare to abandon ship” when a “sudden and severe storm” swept through as they were cruising on Table Rock Lake. The indictment also alleges that McKee blocked the boat’s exits by lowering plastic side curtains. Several lawsuits have reportedly been filed against boat operator Ripley Entertainment and others involved in the manufacturing and operation of the boats. One Indiana family lost nine relatives in the tragedy.

RED FLAG

Report: Boat Operator Knew of Design Flaws, Safety Issues