Oops！Osaka’s yellow rubber duck deflated and lost its bounce after scraping its head under a bridge during a river parade—now it looks more like a flattened egg.

▲Osaka’s yellow rubber duck appeared to get its head stuck while passing under a bridge during the river parade last Saturday (the 19th), possibly due to higher-than-expected water levels. (Photo / Screenshot from Youtube)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

Yellow rubber ducks around the world have had very different experiences. In Kaohsiung, despite a typhoon, the duck only had to be deflated once to avoid the storm. Last Saturday (the 19th), Osaka’s duck encountered trouble during a river event when unexpected water levels caused its head to scrape the underside of a bridge while passing through, damaging the head. This led to instability as strong winds entered the duck’s body, forcing an emergency trip for repairs.

Japan’s Osaka kicked off this year’s “2013 Water City Osaka Festival” in grand style earlier this month, with the yellow rubber duck named “Ahiru” (あひるちゃん) making its debut at the Nakanoshima GATE exhibition area. The Osaka Prefectural Government specially organized the “Ahiru River Parade,” allowing the public to enjoy the adorable sight of Ahiru sailing along the Osaka Aji River on cruise boats.

▲Oh no！The duck’s head is stuck (left photo)! After finally getting through, there’s a noticeable scrape on its head, and the duck’s body started tilting due to strong winds and seawater entering (right photo). (Photo / Screenshot from Youtube)

▲Osaka’s little duck Ahiru finally couldn’t hold up and “sank” into the river (left photo), prompting organizers to quickly deflate it and send it for repairs (right photo). (Photo / Screenshot from Youtube)

According to Japan’s Asahi Shimbun, on the 19th, the yellow duck set off from Nakanoshima and leisurely floated down the Aji River under the guidance of a lead boat. But when passing under the JR Osaka Loop Line railway bridge, it’s suspected that the day’s higher-than-expected water level caused the 9.5-meter-tall Ahiru’s head to get stuck under the bridge. After much effort, it managed to pass through, but the excessive scraping left a hole in the top of its head. Later, Ahiru could no longer withstand the strong winds blowing inside and the large amount of water flooding its body, eventually “collapsing” into the river. This forced the organizers to urgently take the duck back to its “home” in Osaka—the former site of the Namura Shipyard—for repairs. They also issued an emergency notice on their official website and fan page, stating that they are doing everything they can to treat Ahiru so it can reappear healthy and energetic the next day.

On the 20th, the organizers also posted photos on the fan page showing the yellow duck Ahiru regaining its vitality.

%即筅婊粕?⊙蓟指丛?戳耍〃图／取自we're the Water City Osaka fan page)