DUCKS could be banned

THE Amphibious landing craft, DUCKS, used as trip boats could be banned as there are problems affecting buoyancy, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) have discovered.

One sank in a Liverpool dock in June, (Duck Marine sinks again) with all the passenger in the water and another caught fire on the Thames and had to be evacuated in September. (Two boat fires.)

Foam

The investigation found that the foam to give them buoyancy was to blame, with the sinking in Liverpool (pictured) caused through lack of the buoyancy aid, and the fire on the Thames due to foam being packed too tight around machinery, causing friction.

The owners of the Liverpool business have gone into liquidation.

Trip boats

The craft were built during the war to be used as landing craft on the beaches, with many thousands constructed, with some later used as trip boats, particularly at sea-side resorts where they can run off the sand into the sea.

Though both of the incidents caused the boats to be abandoned, there was no loss of life, with narrowboats coming to the aid of people in the water at Liverpool, and the fire on the Thames boat being near a jetty.