
A Yellow Duck (DUKW) spectacularly splashes into Liverpool’s Salthouse Dock.
A bright yellow ex W W 2 landing craft with 31 passengers onboard sank on June 15th. All were rescued when one of the four amphibious trip vehicles operated around Liverpool by Yellow Duck Marine sank in Liverpool’s Salthouse Dock– part of the World Heritage Site Albert Dock complex. 17 people were taken to hospital and treated for shock but later discharged.
On these very popular trips passengers are picked up at a ‘bus stop’ by the dock and first taken on a land-based tour of nearby Liverpool streets. Returning to the docks, the Yellow Duck makes a spectacular splash as it enters the water in Salthouse Dock on a wide slipway adjacent to the Canal & River Trusts visitor moorings for those using the Liverpool Link Waterway. The amphibian then goes on a tour of Albert, Salthouse and other docks in Liverpool’s southern complex.
From amateur video shown on TV and eyewitness reports, the location of the sinking, just below the slipway, indicates that the Duck didn’t appear to recover from the launch. Passengers were rescued by watchers, the emergency services – who were quickly on the scene – and by the crews of narrowboats.
This is the second incident of its kind, with another Duck sinking in March – fortunately without passengers – when the fleet was ordered out of the water. HM The Queen travelled on one during the Liverpool part of her diamond jubilee tour in May 2012.
It has been alleged in local Liverpool newspapers that the operating company Pearlwild is facing an investigation by northwest traffic commissioners because of concerns about the operation of the World War II vintage vehicles. The company says that it will fully co-operate in any police inquiry into this latest sinking.
Ducks, more correctly DUKWs, were built as landing craft during the second world war, only intended to last as long as the combat. However after the war many found themselves being used as beach patrol vehicles and to take holiday makers into the sea, as on nearby Southport beach until the 1990’s. ‘DUKW’ does not stand for anything, it is just the vehicle designers code.
Thanks to Harry Arnold and Waterway Images for this report and images.