Seven people died and 19 others are missing after a river cruise boat with 33 South Koreans capsized after colliding with another vessel on Danube river in Budapest on Wednesday night, AFP reported. The 26-metre tourist boat was also carrying two Hungarian crew members.
Seven people have been rescued, Pal Gyorfi, spokesperson for the Hungarian emergency services, said on Thursday morning. “At this stage, seven people have been taken to hospital in a stable condition and our services have recorded the death of seven other people.”
The accident happened on a part of the Danube river popular for pleasure trips. The boat was found near the Marguerite Bridge, which connects the old city of Buda and the district of Pest, on Thursday morning. The boat was identified by Reuters as the Mermaid, which was a 27-m (89-ft) double-decker river cruise boat with a 150-horsepower engine and had a capacity to hold up to 60 people.
Heavy rainfall since the beginning of May has increased the water levels of Danube river, thus hampering rescue operations. Boats, divers, spotlights and radar were deployed for the rescue operations, Reuters reported.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in instructed officials to “dispatch a rapid response team to Hungary immediately.” He also asked to mobilise every possible means to help support rescue efforts in cooperation with the Hungarian government.
Hungarian health minister Ildiko Horvath visited the site. South Korean embassy officials are also assisting the emergency services.
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