Swiss Cruise Ship Crashes into Danube River Bank, Nobody Injured

Vojka nad Dunajom, September 11 (TASR) – A Swiss cruise ship crashed into a bank of the Danube River near the village of Vojka nad Dunajom (Trnava region) early Sunday morning. The ship’s captain tested positive for alcohol in the blood, Transport, Construction and Regional Development Minister Arpad Ersek (Most-Hid) told TASR.

No one was injured during the crash and evacuation of passengers was not necessary, either. “The matter will be a subject to further investigation,” Ersek told a news conference he convened on the spot.

The captain claims he felt bad and rescuers transported him to a hospital. “He had problems with a blood pressure and was under serious stress,” Emergency Medical Service Operational Centre spokesperson Boris Chmel told TASR.

The ship crashed about 5 a.m. It has not suffered any serious damage and so it continued in its cruise to Budapest a couple of hours later, said Ersek. At the helm was another captain.
There were 150-160 people onboard in the time of the accident, including 50 crew members, said Environment Minister Laszlo Solymos (Most-Hid).

The cruise disrupted the right bank of the Danube River. “An upper asphalt layer has been punctured, as well as an insulation layer,” said Solymos. Employees of the water-management company are now examining the extent of the damage. However, the water level will have to be lowered, but there is no imminent danger, said Solymos.