Georgia duck boat operator sued in deadly accident

PHILADELPHIA - The families of two Hungarian tourists killed in a duck boat accident on the Delaware River last month have filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Philadelphia.

Dora Schwendtner, 16, and Szabolcs Prem, 20, were killed July 7 when a barge being pushed by a tug slammed into the stalled duck boat. The boat capsized and sank; 37 people were thrown into the river.

Lawyers for the victims' families say the suit was filed Tuesday, naming the tour boat operator Norcross-based Ride the Ducks and others. The suit, which seeks punitive damages, says the deaths were senseless and preventable.

Ride The Ducks spokesman Bob Salmon says he doesn't want to comment specifically on the suit, but that the company is always focused on safety.