Second body found in in Delaware River

Authorities have found a second body in the Delaware River today that may be one of the two missing boat passengers. Thirty-five people who were on board a Duck Boat were rescued after Wednesday’s collision with a barge – leaving the sightseeing vessel at the bottom of the river and two people missing.

Authorities have found a second body in the Delaware River today that may be one of the two missing boat passengers.  Thirty-five people who were on board a Duck Boat were rescued after Wednesday’s collision with a barge – leaving the sightseeing vessel at the bottom of the river and two people missing.

Crews pulled the submerged duck boat onto a salvage barge using a crane  but they believed a body that had floated down the river may have gotten stuck under the barge.

To the untrained eyes in the crowd it was not obvious what appeared on the surface of the water just after the barge with the crane started moving.  And then one by one the onlookers at Penn’s Landing pointed and shouted.  A woman cried and many people looked too shocked to even snap photos before authorities converged in boats and blocked it from view.

Then they clapped.

“Yeah, they got that. Soon as I saw the barge move they say it was under the barge.  Soon as it moved!  crying  clapping.”

West Philadelphian Sherie Thompson stood with family members watching the massive operation on the water unfold.

“We just decided to come out and we heard people making a sound and all the sudden we looked behind us and we saw that the body had floated up. I knew that it was the body.  He was face down.  His body had swelled up.  My initial reaction was that I was in shock but at the same time I was relieved in time that they finally found him and their souls can rest and the family can finally have closure.”

Thompson was there with her sister and cousins – the youngest is two years old.  She says when she first saw the body she told the kids to move away and not look into the water.

Since the accident Police and Coast Guard crews have been searching for a missing 20 year male and a 16 year old female passenger.  Preliminary findings show a body found early this morning could be that of the missing girl.