PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Officials say a fire on board had shut down a duck boat that was struck by a barge in the Delaware River off Philadelphia. The barge hit the boat and overturned it Wednesday afternoon, sending at least 37 people into the water and later sinking.
Police divers were searching for two tourists from Hungary -- a 16-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man -- feared to have been trapped in the duck boat before it sank in 40 feet of water. Ten people were sent to a hospital after the capsizing of the six-wheeled duck boat, which offers tours of Philadelphia by water and land. Only minor injuries were reported.
Slideshow: Images From Duck Boat Accident Scene
Recovery efforts were hampered by the underwater visibility described as being just 4 inches at the wreck scene. "We're still searching with some hope. As I mentioned the night of the accident, I have to admit hopes are fading," U.S. Coast Guard Deputy Sector Commander Capt. R. Todd Gatlin said during a news conference Thursday morning following accident. Divers could not determine if any bodies were inside the boat, authorities said. "They could be in the boat. They could be other places. So, we're still searching," Gatlin added.
Police said a second dive to the submerged duck boat was attempted overnight, but divers could not reach the bottom because of the swift current and poor visibility. The Coast Guard's Gatlin said they will not be diving Thursday morning: "After talking to the Philadelphia police, because of the murkiness of the water and the visibility underneath the water, the dive teams will not be going back down this morning." Sr. Chief Charles Weaver, who made Wednesday's dive, said: "The vehicle is laying upright on its wheels. There could be bodies inside, we're not sure. It is an open vessel. With the currents being what they are ... if it went down with bodies inside, those bodies very well could have been washed out of the vessel."
12 crewmen of the U.S. Navy Seal Special Boat Team 20 just happened to be in Philadelphia to attend community relations functions and were preparing to get underway when they heard the distress call. The team had two Mark V Special Warfare Combat-Craft and sped to the scene. "We were the first responders" Said Special Warfare Boat Operator 1st Class Garrett Rodriguez and operator of one of the boats. Nine victims were rescued by the Navy. The second Mark V boat located the sunken boat utilizing sonar and marked its position.
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