10th June 2023 – (Hong Kong) Less than a day after the debut of an art installation featuring giant yellow rubber ducks created by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, one of the ducks was found deflated on Saturday afternoon by a concerned citizen. The art installation, which was intended to bring happiness to the city, was set to be on display for two weeks. However, the deflation of one of the ducks has raised concerns about its durability and the overall quality of the installation.
The 18-meter-tall ducks have become a popular attraction, with many locals and tourists flocking to take pictures with them. However, it is unclear whether the hot weather contributed to the deflation of the duck.
The organisers of the event have stated that during a routine inspection, they found that one of the rubber ducks had become too tightly inflated due to the hot weather, which posed a risk. Therefore, they decided to deflate it as a precautionary measure. The other duck, however, has not shown any signs of abnormality.
A video posted on social media shows the two ducks originally swimming side by side in Victoria Harbour. However, one of the ducks slowly deflates, resembling melting butter on a hot stove, with its once plump body shrinking and the gas leaking out until it is completely deflated. Several workers are seen attempting to salvage the duck, but it is unclear whether they were successful.
To avoid any risks, the organisers decided to release the air and loosen the connecting seams, and arrange for the duck to be transported back to the shipyard for repairs.
The incident occurred at around 1.50pm on the first day of the exhibition, with one of the ducks floating deflated in the water, while the other remained upright in the sea.
The organisers confirmed that they have checked the other rubber duck and found no signs of abnormalities. The exhibition will continue as scheduled while they work on repairing the deflated duck.
This is not the first time that the rubber ducks have encountered trouble during their visits to Hong Kong. In 2013, during their first exhibition in the city, one of the ducks was found to be leaking air just 12 days after its debut.