Cruise operator’s ship ‘involved in incident’ with Hungarian tourist boat |

Cruise operator’s ship ‘involved in incident’ with Hungarian tourist boat

/ 05:14 PM May 30, 2019

Cruise operator’s ship ‘involved in incident’ with Hungarian tourist boat

The Viking Sigyn hotel ship is moored following a collision with a sightseeing boat in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search was underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour. Seven people are confirmed dead, officials said Thursday. (AP Photo/Laszlo Balogh)

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Cruise line operator Viking says one of its ships was involved in a deadly boat collision on the Danube River in Budapest that has left at least seven South Korean tourists aboard a smaller boat dead.

Viking said in a statement Thursday that its ship Sigyn was near a Hungarian tourist boat “when it was involved in an incident” on the river at 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Article continues after this advertisement

It said no one aboard the Viking ship was injured, and that it is cooperating with authorities. The company, with offices in Switzerland and California, provided no further details.

FEATURED STORIES

Officials in Seoul said seven South Korean tourists are dead and 19 others are missing after their sightseeing boat collided with a larger cruise ship and capsized.  Two Hungarian crews are also missing.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry also said the South Korean tourists in the deadly boat collision weren’t wearing life jackets. It said, however, that it’s “customary” for tourists taking a sighting boat on the Danube River not to wear life jackets.

Article continues after this advertisement

Seven South Koreans have been rescued.

Article continues after this advertisement

A South Korean travel agency said the sightseeing boat was on its way back from an hour-long night tour when it collided with the larger cruise ship that caused the sinking.

Article continues after this advertisement

Very Good Tour had said earlier Thursday in Seoul that it believed the tour boat was anchored before departure when it collided with the larger cruise ship, citing information from an employee at the scene.

A 6-year-old girl was among 30 South Korean tourists aboard the sightseeing boat.

Article continues after this advertisement

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has ordered officials to mobilize all available efforts to support the ongoing rescue in cooperation with the Hungarian government. /kga

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

TAGS: Accident, Danube River, Hableany, Hungary, News, Sigyn, South korea, tour boat, Viking, world, world news

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.