Fatal Philly "Duck Boat" accident w/ barge

[Rickysa]

I haven't been able to find any info on what transpired (other than the youtube comments)....unless that area is like a blind river bend, I can't imagine radio communication couldn't have averted this tragedy...two deaths (can't believe it wasn't more)

ETA: Turns out the barge captain was distracted by his cell phone due to a family emergency, and the duck boat had overheated and it's capt. anchored in the channel fearing it was an engine fire and not steam from an overheat. Barge Capt. spent a year in jail for the equivalent of maritime involuntary manslaughter.


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[IRGuy]

Rickysa...

I just read yesterday in the magazine "Professional Mariner" Issue 157, May 2012, that in the Phila accident you ask about, where a barge struck a disabled duck and two people were killed that the tug's mate pled guilty to "misconduct" and was sentenced to one year in jail and lost his merchant mariner license.

[In Memory Walter K]

Bet those goddamned cell phones have killed more people in the past few years than we would ever imagine!

[ZeroCavity]

Bet those "goddamned" cell phones have SAVED more people in the past few years than we would ever imagine ! :wink:

[Harry Babb]

It boils down to the "goddamn" idiots on cell phones who kill people

OR


The "goddamn" responsible people that use them wisely.


How in the hell do you know if the call coming in is a family emergency and if it is don't you think that "goddamn" idiot calling would be better served calling 911 rather than a guy driving a boat down the river!?!?!

Can you tell by now that I love to hate the "goddamn" phones.


Wow! ! ! I feel better now! ! !

hb

[ZeroCavity]

I hear you, all good :P

[Carl]

Cell phones don't kill people
People kill people.



It is only a distraction if you let it be one. That said, people feel this urgency to answer phones and texts immediately instead of dealing with tasks at hand...

[RAWicklund]

Settlement and punishment issues.


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