07/19/2010 // New York, NY, USA // Jonathan C. Reiter // Jonathan C. Reiter
Philadelphia, PA—Authorities from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are in the process of investigating the Wednesday afternoon, July 7, 2010 collision between an amphibious “duck boat” and sludge-hauling barge. The violent Philadelphia watercraft accident sent the entire tourist boat’s 37 occupants, soaring overboard, subsequently claiming the lives of two Hungarian tourists and leaving 10 others with minor injuries. Now NTSB officials have the task of determining whether the tugboat, which was pushing the barge at the time, heard the duck boat’s distress calls prior to the Delaware River wreck, according to information provided by the Associated Press.
Reports indicated the captain of the duck boat shut off the vessel’s engine and dropped its anchor after experiencing mechanical issues and a small fire. Within minutes, a tugboat and its accompanying barge began to travel into the path of the duck boat. While the duck boat’s crew members alleged they attempted to radio the tug, named the Caribbean Sea, their distress calls “received no response,” according to the NTSB. Occupants of other boats contended in interviews with NTSB officials that they heard the duck boat’s radio calls prior to the crash. Nonetheless, the tug went on to strike the tourist vessel, ejecting all 37 occupants into the Delaware River. The duck boat, owned by Norcross, Georgia-based Ride the Ducks, capsized almost immediately.
Rescue crews managed to retrieve 33 of the duck boat’s sightseers, plus two members of the crew, from the water. Ten people were subsequently transported to area hospitals for treatment. Unfortunately, two passengers went initially unaccounted for. The bodies of the two missing passengers, both Hungarian residents visiting as part of a language program, were recovered from the river on Friday. The victims were identified as 20-year-old Szabolcs Prem and 16-year-old Dora Schwendtner. “The loss of a young life, of two young lives, is almost impossible to understand and almost impossible to accept… We stand with you, we stand with the children, the young people,” said Bela Szombati, Hungarian ambassador to the United States. A full probe into the fatal duck boat-barge collision is underway.
New York City personal injury lawyer Jonathan C. Reiter states if you or a loved one has been injured or killed in a boat accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and damages. With more than thirty years of experience litigating the complex claims of accident victims and their families, contacting the Law Firm of Jonathan C. Reiter with regard to your personal injury or wrongful death case may help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
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Jonathan C. Reiter
350 5th Avenue · Suite 2811
New York, NY 10118
Phone: (888) 464-1952
Website: www.jcreiterlaw.com
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