Lake of the Ozarks Boating Accidents & Drownings in 2026
Every boating accident and drowning recorded on the Lake of the Ozarks in 2026 by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, with totals and breakdowns for context.
In 2026, the Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded 24 incidents and 6 fatalities on the Lake of the Ozarks. That is 5 more incidents than the 19 recorded in 2025, and 2 fewer fatalities. Camden County accounts for the most (20 of 24).
Year-over-year figures reflect the records in our archive; the source keeps only about a year online, so earlier years may be incomplete until our own archive covers them. Figures may be revised as investigations conclude.
Show data table
| Severity | Persons |
|---|---|
| Fatal | 6 |
| Serious | 3 |
| Moderate | 5 |
| Minor | 15 |
| No injury | 8 |
By month and county
Patterns in 2026
- Jul saw the most incidents (9 of 24).
- Fri was the busiest day of week (6 incidents fell on Fri).
- The most common type was drowning (6).
- 30% of people involved (with a recorded hometown) came from outside Missouri.
Show data table
| Day | Incidents |
|---|---|
| Sun | 1 |
| Mon | 1 |
| Tue | 2 |
| Wed | 5 |
| Thu | 3 |
| Fri | 6 |
| Sat | 6 |
Show data table
| Part of day | Incidents |
|---|---|
| Overnight | 3 |
| Morning | 3 |
| Afternoon | 10 |
| Evening | 8 |
Show data table
| Home state | People |
|---|---|
| MO (in-state) | 26 |
| KS | 4 |
| IL | 3 |
| OH | 2 |
| IA | 1 |
| TX | 1 |
2026 reports
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a person impacts watercraft on the Lake of the Ozarks on August 22, 2026 in Camden County. 1 person was listed in…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a collision with watercraft on the Lake of the Ozarks on August 13, 2026 in Camden County. 2 people were listed in…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a near drowning on the Lake of the Ozarks on July 31, 2026 in Morgan County. 1 person was listed in the report, 1…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a collision with watercraft on the Lake of the Ozarks on July 29, 2026 in Camden County. 3 people were listed in the…
A 62-year-old from Shawnee, KS died in a drowning on the Lake of the Ozarks on July 25, 2026 in Morgan County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol…
A 35-year-old from Springfield, MO died in a drowning on the Lake of the Ozarks on July 22, 2026 in Camden County, according to the Missouri State Highway…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a person ejected from watercraft on the Lake of the Ozarks on July 14, 2026 in Camden County. 2 people were listed…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a person impacts watercraft on the Lake of the Ozarks on July 11, 2026 in Camden County. 2 people were listed in the…
A 25-year-old from Kansas City, MO died in a drowning on the Lake of the Ozarks on July 4, 2026 in Morgan County, according to the Missouri State Highway…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a person impacts watercraft on the Lake of the Ozarks on July 3, 2026 in Camden County. 1 person was listed in the…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a collision with fixed object on the Lake of the Ozarks on July 2, 2026 in Camden County. 1 person was listed in the…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a collision with fixed object on the Lake of the Ozarks on June 27, 2026 in Camden County. 1 person was listed in…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a person impacts watercraft on the Lake of the Ozarks on June 19, 2026 in Camden County. 2 people were listed in the…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a towed watersport mishap on the Lake of the Ozarks on June 12, 2026 in Camden County. 2 people were listed in the…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a person ejected from watercraft on the Lake of the Ozarks on June 11, 2026 in Camden County. 1 person was listed in…
A 31-year-old man from Lebanon, Missouri died in a drowning on the Lake of the Ozarks on June 10, 2026, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a grounding on the Lake of the Ozarks on June 3, 2026 in Camden County. 1 person was listed in the report, 1…
An 82-year-old from Roach, MO died in a drowning on the Lake of the Ozarks on May 27, 2026 in Camden County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a collision with floating object on the Lake of the Ozarks on May 25, 2026 in Camden County. 5 people were listed in…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a person ejected from watercraft on the Lake of the Ozarks on May 22, 2026 in Morgan County. 1 person was listed in…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a grounding on the Lake of the Ozarks on May 16, 2026 in Camden County. 1 person was listed in the report, 1…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a fire / explosion on the Lake of the Ozarks on May 3, 2026 in Camden County. 2 people were listed in the report, 2…
A 55-year-old from Imperial, MO died in a drowning on the Lake of the Ozarks on May 1, 2026 in Camden County, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol…
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded a collision with watercraft on the Lake of the Ozarks on April 28, 2026 in Camden County. 2 people were listed in…
Common questions
How many boating accidents and drownings were there on the Lake of the Ozarks in 2026?
The Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded 24 incidents in 2026 on the Lake of the Ozarks, including 6 drownings and 6 fatalities.
Was 2026 worse than 2025 on the Lake of the Ozarks?
In 2026 the Patrol recorded 24 incidents versus 19 in 2025. That is 5 more incidents than the 19 recorded in 2025, and 2 fewer fatalities. Earlier years may be incomplete in our archive because the source keeps only about a year online.
Which county had the most incidents in 2026?
Camden County, with 20 of the 24 recorded incidents.