Accident on the Danube - Viking

[notamermaid]

There has been an accident with a Viking river cruise ship on the Danube at Komarno. Sadly, Bratislava police reports 11 injured people. German news reports excursion boat, but Slovak news confirms it is a Viking ship. Apparently, the ship hit a railway bridge. For those wishing to translate: https://domov.sme.sk/c/22903338/komarno-nehoda-vyletna-lod-dunaj.html

 

All the best to the injured, I hope recovery is fast and complete.

 

Bit of a shock this...

 

Only a few days ago, the Excellence Coral had her wheelhouse badly damaged - a bridge... Luckily no one was hurt.

 

notamermaid

 

Edited May 6, 2022 by notamermaid

[notamermaid]

Managed to get the cookies sorted. Now I can read the name. It is the Viking Aegir.

 

notamermaid

 

[Canal archive]

Oh not another one so upset for all those cruisers. Keep well all!

[2017newcruiser]

Yikes, thanks for posting this news.

Hope everyone is okay-

[AnhaltER1960]

Another report, this time in German. Reads, like the injuries are not too heavy.

 

https://www.cruisetricks.de/viking-aegir-rammt-brueckenpfeiler-elf-verletzte/

 

Hope all injured will get well soon.

[notamermaid]

The Viking Aegir is sailing, although there is supposedly damage to the radar system. A positive sign that the damage to the ship is manageable, I guess. Currently logged in is destination Amsterdam. Sounds like she is on the Grand European itinerary.

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

The guys from Binnenschifferforum have spotted the Viking Aegir in Linz in the shipyard. It is not possible to photograph the damage, says the photographer, she is docked at an unfavourable angle for that. Can confirm she is there, and nearby is the Crystal Mozart signalling. A screenshot:

 

Perhaps not looking as good as I thought?

 

This is the shipyard: https://www.oeswag-werft.at/

 

notamermaid

 

[notamermaid]

With the Aegir still in the shipyard, it is obvious that her next cruise from Amsterdam will be done by a different vessel. According to this website, the passengers were to be bussed to Vienna and another ship would come (not clear from where that would be and when) on which they would continue to Amsterdam. Not all ships by Viking were already out of the harbour at Cologne Niehl last week so I can imagine one being sent towards the Danube. Kind of would be interesting to find out how it was handled in the end. Interestingly and oddly, a passenger is reported as having said "we do not know what happened to the captain". "A sudden medical problem" can mean a lot so I hope the man is okay. Nighttime sailing is obviously more dangerous than daytime sailing. I dare say "it could have been worse" as the ship was going upstream so usually more slowly than downstream. However, I do not know what adjustments in speed are made for nighttime sailing. The crash was bad enough, it was no scraping of a pillar, but a "head-on collision" with concrete. Said article with a photo of the pillar and its crash markings: https://www.cas.sk/fotogaleria/2649403/kapitan-vyletnej-lode-na-dunaji-skolaboval-strasne-co-nasledovalo-panika-a-strach-o-zivot/6/

 

Elsewhere, I saw a photo of a steel door having been dented. Definitely a major job for the shipyard with what appears to be some structural damage to the front of the hull. Wonder how long something like that takes?

 

I hope all people are well now and have the confidence and trust to sail on a river cruise ship again.

 

notamermaid

 

[ethelouise2]

We were to cruise the Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) departing 15 June on Viking Aegir.  We received the following email from Viking earlier this week:  

11MAY2022

Dear Viking Guest,

 

Thank you for choosing Viking for your upcoming voyage.

This message is to let you know that due to maintenance requirements for Viking Aegir, your ship has been changed to an identical sister ship, Viking Odin.

 

Like Viking Aegir, Viking Odin is a state-of-the-art Longship, featuring all the same comforts and style as the rest of the Viking Longship fleet. She will be ready to greet you at the same time and place and also has a warm and welcoming staff who will be delighted to have you as a guest.

Despite this change, all other aspects of your trip, including your stateroom selection, itinerary, and any extensions you may have booked with us, will remain the same.

If you have any questions regarding this adjustment, please call Reservations at 1-855-300-3970, Sunday through Saturday, 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM, PT.  We look forward to welcoming you to Europe.

Sincerely,

Viking

[notamermaid]

Thank you for your post. A major job then, as I suspected.

On 5/13/2022 at 3:11 AM, ethelouise2 said:

maintenance requirements

Certainly a nice (yet standard, I mean to be expected) circumscription of accident with major damage to the bow.

 

I am sure you will have a splendid time traversing Europe on the Odin instead.

 

notamermaid