Tourist craft sinks
Posted: June 17, 2013
Posted in: Public Place Accidents Public Transport
This is not the first time that a ‘Yellow Duckmarine’ has sunk in the last year, yet members of the public have again found themselves at risk when getting on one of these tourist crafts. After being banned in March, three of the vehicles were re-declared safe in May – however, this was obviously not the case as twenty-seven people were treated in hospital following another craft-related incident a few days ago.
These bright yellow bus-boats are a popular tourist activity in Liverpool’s Albert Dock as even the Queen had a ride on one during her Diamond Jubilee Tour in 2012.
However, just before 16:00 BST, one of the vehicles failed again, taking only around four minutes to sink completely. Thirty-one people were onboard at the time, many of which were young children, and eighteen of which were taken immediately to the Royal Liverpool Hospital with minor personal injuries. A spokeswoman from the North West Air Ambulance service said that there were no major injuries and that all related-patients at the Royal Liverpool Hospital have recently been discharged.
The Yellow Duckmarine tour company has informed media that the vessel does have a valid certificate of use and that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have moved it to a location where it will later be inspected. Joe Anderson, the mayor of Liverpool, tweeted after the incidient: “Albert Dock Duck incident, look I will not make any official comment on the future of these ducks until we know people are all OK [and] accounted for.”
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