Weather Service Issued Warnings Of Excessive Winds Before Duck Boat Sank, Killing 17

The National Weather Service in Springfield issued a severe thunderstorm warning Thursday evening for the Table Rock Lake area — nearly 45 minutes before a tourist boat sank, killing 17. The warning, which was for Taney, Stone and Barry counties, went out at 6:32 p.m., said Kelsey Angle, a meteorologist with the Weather Service. The first calls to 911 dispatchers about the boat were just before 7:10 p.m. It is not clear yet what time the vessel launched its 70-minute tour, though one witness told The Star that the boat may have entered the water as early as 6:45. “Within that thunderstorm warning was the possibility of winds in excess of 60 mph,” Angle said. “Table Rock Lake was specifically mentioned.