London Duck Tours to return to the Thames after investigation

The pleasure boat company has been cleared to start running trips again, following last year’s fire in London

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has cleared London Duck Tours to resume trips along the Thames, following last year’s mid-cruise fire.

Two vessels have been approved for use, following a Marine Accident Investigation Branch report, which pinpointed the cause of the blaze.

It is believed that the boats’ buoyancy foam was to blame for the accidents, which resulted in 30 people being rescued and some passengers jumping into the Thames to avoid the flames.

An MCA spokesperson told the BBC: “The operator has been working to demonstrate that two of its vessels have been improved sufficiently to meet our safety requirements.

“We believe that we should shortly be in a position to issue a short-term certificate to allow them to operate for a period of three months.”

The company said in a statement on its website that it would be announcing the date of its return to the river “shortly”, with a normal service set to resume “as soon as possible”.