UPDATE: Woman seriously injured in boat explosion and fire

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says this boat exploded and sank near Point Oasis on June 8, 2023 (photo courtesy of Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop F Twitter page)

Missouri state troopers say a Pennsylvania woman suffered serious injuries in Thursday afternoon’s boat explosion and fire at the Lake of the Ozarks.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s incident report says the vessel had a mechanical failure, causing an explosion within the engine compartment.

Troopers say 35-year-old boat passenger Amanda Kingston of Pennsylvania suffered serious injuries and was flown to University Hospital in Columbia. The boat’s driver, 78-year-old Benny Thomas of Four Seasons,  sustained minor injuries and was taken to Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach.

Troopers say the incident happened at about 3:20 pm near Point Oasis at the 13-mile mark. The boat sank.