The giant rubber duck in Taiwan burst and deflated

Taipei - A giant yellow rubber duck that adorned one of the ports in Taiwan suddenly burst and deflated, despite being an important part of the local New Year's Eve celebrations. The reasons are still unclear, reported BBC News today.
    The 18-meter rubber duck suddenly collapsed yesterday, just 11 days after it was installed at the Keelung Port in the north of the island. Organizers are unsure of the cause of the giant toy's collapse, but one theory suggests that the duck was attacked by eagles.
    "We would like to apologize to the fans of the yellow duck. We will carefully investigate its condition to determine the causes," said Chuang Jing-tai, speaking on behalf of the organizers to reporters.
    Last month, another giant rubber duck at a different location in Taiwan did not survive unscathed, this time due to an earthquake that disrupted the power supply to the compressor that maintained the duck's inflation. A third example was also deflated and pulled ashore due to an approaching typhoon.
    Rubber ducks resembling giant toys that children usually take into the bath are the creation of Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, who designed them with the intention of spreading a message of joy around the world. "It keeps smiling at you. It says: 'Don't worry, smile, be happy," Hofman told the Associated Press in the past.
    The original Hofman rubber duck has traveled to various parts of the world since 2007, including Sydney, Sao Paulo, Hong Kong, and Amsterdam. In Taiwan, giant rubber ducks have become a huge hit. One of them, in the Kaohsiung Port, attracted four million visitors in just one month.