The deadly collision between the Hableany tour boat and the Viking Sigyn in Budapest was the second involving a Viking river ship this season, and at least the third involving a river cruise ship in Europe in less than a year, reports Travel Weekly.
The recent mishap
The collision Wednesday happened as the vessels were going under a bridge during a rainy night in fast-running waters on the Danube.
The AP quoted police as saying the smaller tour boat carrying 33 Korean tourists appeared to veer into the Viking ship, tipping and sinking within seconds of being hit.
Seven people were killed and 21 others were missing, authorities said. Seven others were rescued. It was reported, none were wearing life jackets.
Details Viking shared
A Viking spokesman confirmed their ship was involved in a fatal collision but gave few other details. “We offer our heartfelt condolences to those affected by this tragic accident,” the spokesman said.
“There were no injuries to Viking crew or Viking guests. We have been and continue to cooperate fully with the authorities while they undertake their investigations.”
Why is the river crowded at night?
HVG, a Hungarian news portal, quoted a captain with 27 years of experience on the Danube as saying it had only been a matter of time before such an accident occurred on the river in Budapest.
The river is crowded at night with cruise ships and smaller vessels sailing to see the city’s famed Parliament and other buildings illuminated.
More cruise ships in Europe’s water
It was the second collision for a Viking ship this season. In April, the Viking Idun collided with a cargo vessel while sailing through Belgium in April. And last October, Crystal River Cruises’ Crystal Bach was hit by a cargo vessel while it sailed overnight on the Rhine, damaging windows in the Waterside Lounge and in some suites. No guests were injured in either collision.
Still, collisions between river cruise ships and the many cargo and other vessels that ply Europe’s waterways have been relatively rare, although the number of cruise ships has risen dramatically in recent years.
Europe’s river cruise fleet doubled
According to the 2018 annual report from Central Commission for the Navigation of the Rhine (CCNR), Europe’s river cruise fleet more than doubled between 2004 and 2017, with 346 active ships with 50,616 beds sailing in 2017. Dozens have been added since, although some older vessels have also been removed.
They share the river with thousands of other ships. The CCNR says more than 13,000 inland vessels were registered as active vessels in the Rhine and Danube basins in 2016 and 2017, about 75% of which are cargo ships.
Number of collisions dropped with technology
And while Europe’s rivers are getting busier, a report from the German Waterway and Shipping Administration and the Ministry of Transport indicates collisions have declined dramatically.
Its analysis of accidents in Germany on the Main, Main-Danube-Canal and Danube show the number of collisions dropped from 1,000 in 1993 to 650 in 2013, largely due to improvements in technology, the CCNR report said.
Citing the German statistics, CCNR said the most frequent collisions involved boats hitting bridges. Less than 20% of the accidents involved vessels hitting each other, and most involved small pleasure vessels.
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Source: Travelweekly
