Boston Duck Boat Incident Timeline: from Tourist Hospitalization to Reopening
The transit began under typical conditions along the urban road circuit before entering the water for the marine leg of the journey. Eyewitness accounts recorded by port personnel describe a sudden lurch while the craft negotiated a transitional wake, causing the hull to roll sharply to one side. The abrupt tilt tossed passengers against side framing and bench fixtures. Panic flashed through the open-air seating area as water splashed over the low-freeboard gunwales.
The vessel operator acted quickly to throttle down and trim the steerage, preventing an outright capsizing. Within moments, maritime first responders deployed toward the craft. Eleven tourists sustained injuries ranging from sprains and fractured ribs to head contusions, requiring rapid dockside stabilization and transfer to local trauma units. The craft limped back to the slipway under police and coast rescue escort, where emergency medical technicians established a triage perimeter.