Duck boat civil case could be delayed

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – The families of some of the 17 people who died after a duck boat sank in Missouri say federal prosecutors might delay their efforts to get answers about the July 19 crash.

The Kansas City Star reports that federal prosecutors have asked a judge to halt the civil lawsuits related to the crash on Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri, until their criminal investigation is complete.

Attorney Gerald McGonagle says this motion would just delay the families’ lawsuits. He is representing the daughters of a Higginsville couple who died.

No one has been charged with a crime in connection with the duck boat crash, so it’s not clear how long the federal investigation could take.

Ripley Entertainment and the five other businesses involved in operating the duck boats have declined to comment on the lawsuits.