A boat owned by Boston Duck Tours rescued a father and his 2-year-old son from the Charles River in Massachusetts on Monday morning, ABC News reported, citing local authorities.
The young child “slipped through a fence” behind the hotel and fell into the river. ReportedThe father jumped into the river to save his son, police said, citing Massachusetts State Police.
A passing Boston Duck Tours boat rescued the pair and dropped them off at a nearby pier, and the child was taken to hospital as a precaution, according to ABC News.
Co-Captain said WCVB said they realized something was wrong when people started waving their hands for help.
A father and his young child are very grateful to Boston's famous duck boats after they were rescued Monday morning after falling into the Charles River, authorities said. https://t.co/eJqMoNE3Bw pic.twitter.com/rSoK03nspb
— ABC News (@ABC) August 20, 2024
“We heard some people screaming,” witness Dominic Demasi told the outlet. “The Duck Boat happened to be within 50 feet, so they rushed over and helped people.” (Related: Two rescued after jet ski explosion: Report)
Cindy Brown, CEO of Boston Duck Tours, praised the boat's co-captains, Michael Rosario and Kevin O'Neill, on social media.
“Mike and Kevin have been incredible team members with Boston Duck Tours for many years, and we are grateful that their training and extremely fortunate timing put them in a position to help save this father and son,” she wrote. “We couldn't be more proud of their quick thinking and smart actions.”
Boston Duck Tours was founded in 1994. WebsiteThe company said safety is its “top priority on the road, on the Charles River and in our daily operations.”
Duck boats are Based on World War II era amphibious Duke Vehicles used to transport military supplies. DUKW Tours uses refurbished post-war DUKW vehicles for private tours, and many of these tours are independently owned and operated.
Some safety advocates have criticized the ship as unsafe after several fatal accidents.
“Duck boats are death traps,” said Andrew Duffy, an attorney with a Philadelphia law firm that has handled lawsuits over two fatal accidents involving duck boats. said Associated Press, 2018.
The Indianapolis family reached a settlement with a Missouri duck tour company in 2019 after an accident left 17 people dead, Fox 59 reported. Reported.
Similarly, after two Hungarian relatives died in a 2012 accident on the Delaware River, the families reached a $17 million settlement with a Philadelphia-based duck tour company, CNN reported. Reported.
“Ride the Ducks has been in business for 33 years and before this tragedy we had never even had a wet shoelace,” Chris Herschend, president of Ride the Ducks in Philadelphia, told CNN. Reported In 2010.
