In the past week, two separate river cruise collisions took place in Europe—one on the Rhine near Duisburg, Germany, and the other in Poland’s Szczecin Lagoon.
Early morning on March 29, a Dutch river cruise ship operated by De Zonnebloem was struck by a cargo motor vessel on the Rhine near Wesel, Germany.
The ship, designed specifically for passengers with physical disabilities, suffered major damage to its bow.
There were 69 guests, 65 volunteers, and 15 crew members aboard at the time of the crash. Fortunately, no one was injured, but the damage to the ship was severe enough to leave it out of service for months. All upcoming trips have been cancelled.
The collision left a large hole in the vessel’s hull, making it impossible to continue the journey.
The German police reported that the cargo ship’s captain tested positive for alcohol and was taken in for further blood testing. He has been prohibited from continuing his voyage and is now facing criminal proceedings.
For many passengers, the Zonnebloem was their only opportunity to travel, as it is fully equipped with medical facilities and accessibility features, that are not found on regular cruise ships.
A spokesperson for the organisation expressed disappointment, stating that the loss of service would impact hundreds of travelers who rely on the ship for their vacations.
Passengers were transported back to the Netherlands using accessible transport services.
In a similar incident, on Monday evening in Poland’s Szczecin Lagoon, the cruise ship Junker Joerg collided with the fuel barge Argonaut near Chelminek Island, tearing a large hole in the cruise ship’s port bow.
The Argonaut sustained above-waterline damage but did not suffer hull penetration. Initially, no injuries were reported, and both vessels managed to reach a pier in Szczecin under their own power.
However, upon arrival, medical personnel were called to assist. Eight people sustained minor injuries while an 84-year-old woman suffered head and hip injuries and required hospitalisation.
According to a provincial medical service spokesperson, four medical teams responded to the scene to provide aid. Authorities in Germany and Poland have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.
The German police believe that alcohol consumption may have been the main cause of the Rhine collision involving Zonnebloem, while Polish authorities are still gathering evidence on the Szczecin Lagoon crash.
For Zonnebloem, the damage means that hundreds of travellers with disabilities will miss out on their planned vacations.
The ship usually operated 40 weeks per year, carrying around 2,800 guests annually, with the support of an equal number of care volunteers.
References: nltimes, swzmaritime
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