Hableany tour boat salvaged from Danube River after two weeks, investigations to follow
  • 5 years ago
We turn to the latest on the tour boat that sank into the murky depths of the Danube River in Budapest late last month, taking the lives of dozens of people, including many South Koreans.
The vessel was finally lifted out of the water on Tuesday, and authorities are now preparing to hold an in-depth and first-hand investigation into the deadly incident.
Kim Mok-yeon has the details.


Nearly two weeks after the tragedy occurred on the Danube River, the sunken Hableany tour boat was finally raised above the water's surface on Tuesday.
During the six hour-long salvage operation, Hungarian authorities were able to retrieve four more bodies of South Korean passengers, including a child,... bringing the death toll to 24 with four people still missing.
Security was tight in the area, but citizens gathered to watch the salvage process from afar, most of them feeling overwhelmed by sadness.

"It is the first time (I came out here) after the tragic event, I have seen in the TV and read in the newspapers and I was also on such kind of tourist ships and it is very upsetting to think that this could have happened also with us, such tragic events."

After the boat was raised, it was taken to Csepel , an industrial port in south Budapest for a detailed investigation.
Police in Hungary say they plan to look deeply into the cause of the incident together with ship experts and engineers.

"The inspection will continue with technical, nautical and shipping experts and in the presence of the prosecutor.
The aim is to verify all those deductions that will clarify the reasons and causes of the accident."

Police also revealed they carried out another search inside the Viking Sigyn , the cruise ship that hit the tourist boat, to obtain additional evidence.
The Ukrainian captain of the ship has been arrested on suspicion of reckless misconduct in waterborne traffic leading to mass casualties.
His lawyers claim he did nothing wrong.
In Korea, Seoul's foreign ministry announced Tuesday that the government will continue to work hard until all the bodies are recovered, adding that it's cooperating with the Justice Ministry and related departments on how to deal with the aftermath of the tragedy.
Kim Mok-yeon, Arirang News.
Recommended