In this Sept. 24, 2015 photo, a “Ride the Ducks” amphibious tour bus (right) and a charter bus remain at the scene of a multiple fatality collision on the Aurora Bridge in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

In this Sept. 24, 2015 photo, a “Ride the Ducks” amphibious tour bus (right) and a charter bus remain at the scene of a multiple fatality collision on the Aurora Bridge in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)

Ride the Ducks Seattle files for bankruptcy after closing

The tourist attraction never recovered financially after a 2015 crash that killed five and injured 60

By Christine Clarridge / The Seattle Times

SEATTLE — Ride the Ducks Seattle, which never recovered financially after a devastating 2015 crash on the Aurora Bridge that killed five people and injured more than 60, has closed and filed for bankruptcy.

The local tourist attraction filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy — which does not involve a repayment plan like Chapter 13 bankruptcy does — after it closed last month, KING 5 reported.

The company said in a statement when it closed that the financial impact from the crash was “too much for the company to overcome” despite its efforts to hold the manufacturer of the amphibious vehicle involved in the crash accountable.

Ride the Ducks Seattle said it believes that effort will ultimately be successful, but would come too late to save the company.

Both Ride the Ducks Seattle and Ride the Ducks International, the maker of the amphibious vehicle, were sued after the crash.

A King County Superior Court jury determined after a four-month civil trial that Ride the Ducks International bore 67-70% of the responsibility for the crash. The jury also found that Ride the Ducks Seattle, which operated the tour vehicle, was 30-33% at fault.

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