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Maritime News

Maritime injury lawsuit filed by families of Duck Boat crash victims

Posted on Aug 03, 2010

Last month, two Hungarian students drowned when a barge in the Delaware River crashed into a stalled duck boat.

The fatal accident occurred on July 7. The students, 16-year-old Dora Schwendtner and 20-year-old Szabolcs Prem, were among the 35 passengers on the amphibious tour boat. Nine others were injured. Now the families of the two victims are suing the "Ride the Ducks" company and the tug's owner, K-Sea Transportation over the offshore deaths of their loved ones.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the accident. The duck boat's crew said they used their radio to alert the tug of their position, but received no response. The NSTB is also looking the possibility that the tugboat was unable to see the duck boat in the water because of a blind spot. Tug pilots are required to use radar to make sure that they do not hit other vessels.

After the accident, the Ride the Ducks tour boat company voluntarily suspended tours in all five cities where it operates, but tours have since resumed except on the Delaware River. The U.S. Coast Guard has not yet made a decision about whether to allow duck boat tours to resume in Philadelphia. The decision is expected to be made after the NTSB completes its investigation. The attorneys for the victims’ families believe that all riverboat trips should stop.

If you have lost a loved one to the sea, call The Young Firm at 866-938-6113 to learn more about your rights under maritime law.