‘Duck’ stuck in the mud

Passengers have been rescued from a London Duck Tour vehicle after it became stuck in the mudduring a trip on the River Thames.

Emergency services were called to the scene by Albert Embankment, close to MI6’s headquart e r s and Vauxhall Bridge, at about 2.30pm.

A spokeswoman for London Fire Brigade said their fire boat helped tow the duck to St George’s Wharf Pier and that there were 28 passengers and two staff on board at the time.

She added: “The fire crew helped them all safely disembark – there were no reports of any injuries.”

Managing director of London Duck Tours, John Bigos, confirmed

“It is not the first time and it is possibly not the last time”

one of his vehicles, which takes in the capital’s sights by road and river, had become stuck in the mud.

He said: “The facts are it got stuck in the mud – it is not the firsttimeand it is possibly not the last time a duck will be stuck in the mud.

“In terms of dangers to passengers – it was absolutely none.

“We have a tractor that was held up on its way to help – as a result our captain rang the fire pier and asked if someone would be good enough to pull him back into the water.”

On the company’s website, it states each yellow amphibious sightseeing vehicle has seats for 30 passengers and is “fitted with full safety equipment”.