“It all happened so fast”. The crash sank the duck boat, and two Hungarian students died. Maintenance records will also be checked. He wasn’t sure whether the duck boats would be allowed to continue in the city but said the NTSB was interested in duck-boat safety because such vehicles are operating in other cities. A National Transportation Safety Board team arrived Friday to lead an investigation that typically takes a year, the agency said. Seattle Police said a preliminary evaluation of the driver for signs of intoxication did not find any evidence of impairment.
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“These are military craft that were never created to navigate narrow city streets”, Steve Bulzomi, the lawyer who represented the motorcyclist, told The Associated Pres. “I would hope everybody would take a serious look at whether this is a real good idea for the streets of Seattle”. “It was not our fault”, Tracey said.
Three dozen people were on board the duck boat, as well as the driver, who is certified by the Coast Guard and a licensed commercial driver, company President Brian Tracey said.
The crash involved a Bellair charter bus and a 26,000-pound “Ride the Ducks” vehicle. “Joining forces on the issue even as they are bitterly divided on others, Mr. Obama and Mr. Xi will spotlight the shared determination of the leaders of the world’s two largest economies to forge a climate change accord in Paris in December that commits every country to curbing its emissions”. He says a typical investigation lasts a year.
More than a dozen investigators with the NTSB are on their way to Seattle from around the country, NTSB spokesman Eric Weiss said Friday. “We will get to the bottom” of the crash, he said.
Ken Lambert/AP Emergency personnel work at the scene of a fatal collision involving a charter bus, center left, and a “Ride the Ducks” amphibious tour bus on the Aurora Bridge in Seattle. The impact ripped open the bus and victims were strewn around the wreckage.
A witness told the Seattle Times the side of the bus was torn off as the duck boat ploughed into it. His driver wasn’t seriously hurt, but Johnson said he’s concerned with how he’s handling the accident emotionally.
“We have always placed our passengers and the public’s safety as our highest priority. It’s just sad. It’s heartbreaking”.
Cathy Strassman, a tourist from Green Bay, Wis., was riding in the Duck vehicle with some friends when she was thrown from her seat.
Witnesses say something may have gone wrong with the duck boat’s steering or tire. Their identities haven’t been released yet. Members of the media were asked to stay outside the room.
Murray said the scene did not seem chaotic, which he called a testament to the professionalism of first responders. “It was to be a fun introduction to Seattle”, she said. There were just parts flying, and of course the crash.
“I saw my Dad”.
The bus was carrying global students and employees for orientation events. The school did not identify them.
“We’ll figure this out together. We stick together”. Some are still working to improve their English skills, and begin their college studies in an English-as-a-Second-Language class before they enroll in regular college courses. Her family has been notified. Her dad, Gregory, walked away from the crash. “It was also one of the most moving days to be mayor as I watched this city come into action to help people, young people and their families who were in pain”, said Murray. She was not hurt. Some community leaders say they’ve asked the state to put in some type of barrier between the northbound and southbound lanes.
Xing Wutao’s parents in Shenzhen, China, were asleep when the accident occurred. He and his daughter, Ming Chao Wu, are from Taiwan, and he is a visiting scholar at the University of Washington.
“It was so scary”, Xing said.
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“We’re just trying to relax today”, he said, shaking his head. “Any kind words help”.
