The Keelung Rubber Duck burst and can't ring in the New Year with everyone — Kaohsiung agrees to lend theirs

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

The yellow rubber duck in Keelung burst this afternoon. Keelung City Council Speaker Huang Jing-tai stated that they will get the duck back to Ocean Plaza as soon as possible. The cause of the explosion is currently unknown, and surveillance footage will be reviewed, but it's uncertain whether support from the Kaohsiung duck can be obtained. Whether a loan will be negotiated is still under discussion, but efforts are being made to return the duck as quickly as possible. It's also unclear if the exhibition period will proceed as scheduled. One thing is certain: the duck won't be able to ring in the New Year with everyone tonight.

The yellow rubber duck in Keelung was originally set to ring in the New Year in a peaceful manner, with lighting until 1 a.m. on January 1, 2014. There was also to be a “New Year’s Greeting and Wish-Making Event” with the duck on the morning of January 1. However, judging by photos from various sources, the extent of the duck’s rupture is significant, and since the cause of the explosion is still unknown, it seems the yellow rubber duck will not be able to participate in the New Year’s celebration or the New Year’s wish-making event.

As there is no spare rubber duck in Keelung, the initial hope was to “reset” it in order to revive it as much as possible, with the goal of having the duck back on display as early as tomorrow. However, according to the latest news, the Kaohsiung city government is willing to lend their duck.