Duck Boats have work to do to lure back riders

With the boats poised to go back in the water, Ride The Ducks and city officials insist the tours are safe.  But not everyone thinks it’s a good idea for the boats to go back into the Delaware River.With Spring come flocks of tourists–visiting Philadelphia’s historic sites, and now that the boats are back maybe even taking a Duck Boat Tour.  But some visitors in Center City weren’t sold on the boat trips, like Ewa Jasz, from Northeast Philadelphia who brought her kids to tour City Hall, “Now I will not ride the ducks again because I will be afraid that something may happen again and I wouldn’t jeopardize my children’s well being by riding with them,” said Jasz.Her 10 year old son Robert remembered riding the boats before and said he does not want to do it again.  “It was kinda of scary because it felt like we were going to sink any way,” he said.Jim Strong and his family had not heard about last year’s accident.”We’re from Maine.  I’m here with my family my wife, son, and his best friend,” said Strong.  “We’ve been on the duck boats on two occasions once in Boston and once in Washington D.C.”

When asked whether he would do so in Philadelphia, he said, “I would…until you told me there was an accident.”

Lawyer Robert Mongeluzzi represents the families of the two tourists who were killed.  They have sued Ride the Ducks and the city.  Mongeluzzi said the boats are not safe, and he is not happy about the Ducks’ return,”Would you wanna go on a boat where they say, ‘By the way we have this little boat that we put out in the water but we’re so concerned about it breaking down and sinking that we have a search and rescue boat that is moored off shore about 200 yards behind us.’  I think that tells you all you need to know about how safe the Duck Boats are,” he said.The duck boat company says the tours are safe and notes new safety measures, such as having a rescue boat available whenever tours head out on the water.