An infamous anniversary passed yesterday, almost unnoticed, unless you were part of the tragedy that day. Forty-seven years ago yesterday, June 17th, 1978, the deadliest water disaster in Kansas history. About 60 passengers and crew members were aboard the double-decked showboat Whippoorwill, on Pomona Lake, where guests planned to dine and see a nightly Vassar Playhouse performance of the musical “Dames At Sea.”
The area was under a severe thunderstorm watch, but it wasn’t raining. But shortly before 7:00, about 15 minutes into the cruise, the crew saw a small F-0 tornado come from the clouds across the lake. It strengthened as it raced toward the boat. The skipper turned the paddleboat to head for shore but couldn’t get it out of the way. The tornado capsized the showboat, killing 16 people on board. After the tornado moved away, rescuers began to pick survivors off the hull of the capsized ship. One rescuer, the owner of Lighthouse Bay Marina, and diver, Lawrence Stadel, dove under the boat and found two more survivors, trapped in air pockets. The tornado that capsized the boat later caused damage to mobile homes before dissipating. The Whippoorwill is currently undergoing renovation and being turned into a pirate ship that will be used for rides for children with disabilities and illnesses on Lake Perry. It’s been renamed the HHS Host Of Sparrows. Owner Clay Mead explains:
The National Weather Service says that the incident shows that all tornadoes, no matter how small or short-lived, demand our respect and have the potential to cause damage and death, even if they do not make a direct strike.
