Operation Under Way to Refloat Stranded Cruise Ship on the Danube (PHOTOS)

An operation is underway near the village of Gomotartsi in the Vidin region to pull free a cruise ship that ran aground on the River Danube.

A tugboat has arrived at the scene and is attempting to tow the vessel. A motorboat is also taking part in the operation, providing technical and logistical support.

The Swiss-flagged passenger ship Viking Ullur, which was travelling to Bulgaria, became stranded at around 2.20am on 28 July near the 817th river kilometre, close to the village of Gomotartsi, approximately 25 kilometres upstream from Vidin. There were 186 passengers on board, all citizens of European Union countries, as well as 52 crew members.

The ship was scheduled to take on supplies in Vidin but was unable to reach the port, leaving passengers without food and drinking water. With the approval of the Lom River Supervision Directorate, an evacuation was organised using a boat from the Vidin Border Police Vessel Base. The ship's agent arranged another cruise vessel, the French-flagged Vivaldi, onto which the passengers were transferred.

A few days earlier, a cruise ship travelling to Vidin became stranded in the Romanian section of the Danube due to record-low water levels. The evacuation of all passengers on board was required.

All passengers were evacuated from the stranded cruise ship on the Danube. A total of 230 people were on the Swiss-flagged vessel, including 186 tourists and the remaining members of the crew.

Photos: BTA

Source: BTA