Maritime News

Investigators have questions about the maritime accident that caused the sinking of the amphibious tour boat known as "Duck 34" in the Delaware River.

 
The accident occurred on Wednesday, July 7. The tourboat, DUKW34, was carrying 35 passengers and two crew members when it began experiencing mechanical problems. The ship’s master anchored the boat to perform repairs and alerted other duck-tour captains that they needed a tow. Ten minutes later, at 2:36 p.m. it was rammed by the bow of a 250-foot towing barge. The barge was pulled by a tug boat, the Carribean Sea. The small tour boat sank in 55 feet of water.

Two Hungarian citizens died as a result of the accident. The Coast Guard has identified them as Dora Schwendtner, 16, and Szablcs Prem, 20.

 
The sinking was the first on-water accident involving Ride the Ducks since it began operations in 2003. The company operates 15 “Ducks” – vessels built to resemble a World War II-era DUKW - in Philadelphia, and designates each with a number. 

 
The accident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. The NSTB plans to interview the tugboat's five-person crew, and the captain and deckhand who were on Duck 34. The investigation will determine if proper radio warnings were broadcast by Duck 34, and whether the crew aboard the tug were monitoring their marine radio and keeping a lookout as they travelled upriver.

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