Tugboat in 'duck boat' crash was insured

PHILADELPHIA—A tugboat that pushed an unmanned barge into a stalled sightseeing "duck boat," plunging 37 people into the Delaware River, was properly insured, a spokesman for the tugboat owner said Thursday.

Two people remained missing Thursday following the Wednesday accident.

The unmanned barge was being pushed by a tugboat owned by K-Sea Transportation Partners L.P., which was under contract by the city of Philadelphia.

A spokesman for K-Sea, an East Brunswick, N.J.-based marine transportation company, said Thursday that the company carries “all the necessary and required insurance” for its vessels.

The K-Sea spokesman said he could not comment further on the type of coverage and limits of liability of the company's insurance coverage out of respect for the investigation being done by the National Transportation Safety Board and U.S. Coast Guard.

The barge struck the disabled duck boat, which was carrying 35 passengers and two crew members, Wednesday afternoon, according to reports. The duck boat is owned and operated by Norcross, Ga.-based Ride the Ducks. The company has operations in Philadelphia; Branson, Mo.; and San Francisco.

Five crew members aboard the K-Sea tugboat were not injured.