At least 10 dead after tourist boat sinks in Missouri

July 19 (UPI) -- At least ten people are dead and several injured after a tourist boat sank in southeast Missouri on Thursday.

Stone County Sheriff Doug Rader said a "Ride the Ducks" boat capsized with 31 passengers on board sank in Table Rock Lake, near Branson, Mo. Rescue crews worked late Thursday evening to find missing passengers.

"It's going to be a challenging night," Rader said, according to the Springfield News-Leader..

Injured survivors are being treated at the Cox Medical Center. A spokesperson there told KY3-TV that at least one person was injured critically.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation but officials believe weather is to blame.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the incident occurred after thunderstorms with wind speeds as high as 63 mph hit the area.

A witness recorded the incident in a video that shows two tourist boats struggling to get through choppy water and high winds.

"Very sad to hear about this horrible accident -- prayers for all those involved and the first responders who are assisting," tweeted Missouri Gov. Mike Parson.

The "Ride the Ducks" boats are amphibian vehicles that take passengers on trips through the Ozarks.