The Ducks have returned to the Delaware River. Not mallards, but duck boats. Last July a tug pushing a barge ran down a disabled “Duck boat” DUKW 34 at anchor in the Delaware River off Philadelphia. Two of the 35 passengers on the duck boat drowned in the collision. The mate on the tug was apparently talking to his mother on a cell phone during the collision. The duck boats have now been allowed back on the river under a new set of safety rules.
Duck boats to make return to Delaware River
Among other changes, the water route for the amphibious tour boats has been shortened from 30 minutes to 10 minutes. Also, duck boats are to stay close to shore, and are not to enter the water if any large vessel is within a mile of the entry point.
Duck boats have been banned from operations since a July 7 accident that killed two passengers and injured 26 others. The Coast Guard approved the boats’ return in August, but the city withheld its OK until Tuesday.
These contraptions are inherently unsafe. Please ban them from the water before another tragic accident. Besides a ten minute trip on the water is quite pointless and only serves to increase the risk. Who provides marine insurance for this nonesense??
Good Watch
I don’t agree. The duck boats in service today are Coast Guard inspected and meet the established stability and safety requirements. This is the first Coast Guard inspected duck boat to suffer a fatality. The recent accident was due to a fuel barge running down a duck boat at anchor. The officer on watch on the tug couldn’t see over the barge’s bow and in any circumstances was talking on his cell phone at the time of the collision.
I have taken my family on a duck tour through Boston with segments in the Charles River and the Backbay. It was very enjoyable and I never felt that I was risking their safety or mine.