Amphibious bus sinks with 28 on board in Britain

LIVERPOOL, England, June 16 (UPI) —

Sixteen people were hospitalized after an amphibious boat carrying 28 tourists sank at Albert Dock in Liverpool, England, police said.

The Yellow Duckmarine vehicle operates as a bus giving tours on city streets before offering a splashdown into the River Mersey.

Just before 4 p.m. Saturday, Wacker Quaker 1, one of four vessels with the tour company, began to sink within minutes of entering the water, the Liverpool Echo reported.

Local rescue officials led the 28 passengers to dry land, including a woman with her baby, said Merseyside chief fire officer Dan Stephens.

Sixteen people were taken to the Royal Liverpool Hospital, the Echo reported.

"Injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to patients being cold and wet," Stephens said.

This is the second Yellow Duckmarine sinking in four months, the newspaper said.

In March one of the vehicles sank with no passengers on board. The entire fleet was ordered out of the water at the time while an investigation was conducted.

"Following the incident involving Quacker 1, we are working closely with our regulatory body, The Maritime & Coastguard Agency and Merseyside Police," said a spokesperson for Yellow Duckmarine. The "craft has now been recovered and following consultation with MCA has been taken to a place of safe and secure storage in-order-that a full investigation can take place."