Video: Wreck Of Sightseeing Boat Raised In Budapest - Timelapse Film Shows Recovery
- 11 Jun 2019 5:24 PM
- Hungary Matters
Salvage crews have finally recovered the wreck of the boat which capsized two weeks ago on the Danube under Margaret Bridge with a group of South Korean tourists on board.
Four bodies have been recovered since crews started operations to lift the wreck early on Tuesday morning, officials said.
Four further victims are still missing.
One of those recovered has been identified as that of the only child on board at the time of the collision, public broadcaster M1 reported.
The Hableány was built in 1949.
The boat is 27.2 meters long, 4.8 meters wide and 5.2 meters tall and weighs 50 tonnes.
It sank after a Swiss-owned cruise ship collided into it as both vessels passed under Margit Bridge in Budapest. It had a group of 33 South Korean tourists and a crew of two Hungarians aboard.
High waters delayed the salvage operation for nearly two weeks. The salvage took place in several stages, during which the state of the ship was assessed at several points.
M1 reported on Tuesday afternoon that the barge carrying the wreck was on its way to the Csepel port in the south of the city, where the boat will undergo further examinations.
The Hableány will be examined by nautical and technical experts, in collaboration with staff members of the prosecutor’s office.
At the request of the interior minister, the number of police officers taking part in the search for remaining victims has been doubled.
The Ukrainian captain of the hotel ship which struck the Hableány, causing the disaster, is currently the only suspect, he said.
MTI Photo: Máthé Zoltán
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