A man who worked on the Branson Belle river showboat when the Ride the Ducks boat sank on Table Rock Lake in Branson is suing for emotional and physical damages.
Greg Harris jumped in the water from the nearby showboat to help rescue passengers from the capsized Duck Boat July 19th.
Missouri State Highway Patrol crews assist the U.S. Coast Guard during the Duck boat recovery efforts on July 23, 2018 (photo courtesy of the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Twitter page)
The lawsuit claims Harris suffered emotional distress and physical injury, as a result of his experience.
It notes Harris pulled five people out of the water and that one of them, a child, did not make it.
The suit alleges the Duck Boat should not have been on the water, pointing to past incidents involving Duck Boats.
The court document names three defendants. Operator Ride The Ducks International, LLC, owner Ripley Entertainment Inc. and the boat’s captain are accused of negligence.
Harris is also suing for emotional distress and punitive damages. He claims he had to quit his job at the Branson Belle.
17 of the 31 people on board the Duck Boat died when it sank on the evening of July 19, 2018.
Missouri media partner KOLR-TV contributed this report