The tornado, which was on the ground for 8 miles (13 km), struck a tourist boat called the Whippoorwill, causing it to capsize and drowning 16 out of the 58 passengers and crew.
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.
[2][5] In total, 16 people were killed in the incident, including three faculty members from the Emporia State University School of Library and Information Management.
The boat was sold in 2016 to two brothers, Matt and Josh Abramovitz, who intended to repair it and put it back into service by offering day cruises.
It is currently in dry dock at the Lake Perry Reservoir undergoing remodel to have safety features added and become a Pirate themed commercial charter boat to be launched in Spring of 2024.