An unusual accident on the Danube has become the subject of an official investigation in Hungary after reports emerged that two police officers may have collided while operating police vessels near Baja.
According to reports published by Blikk, the accident took place on 25 May near Kádár Island on the Danube. The newspaper reported that a police jet ski and a police motorboat were involved in the incident, with both vessels being operated by police officers.
The report claims that the officer riding the jet ski ended up in the water after the collision. It also suggests that the crew of the motorboat could not immediately assist him, possibly because their own vessel had also been damaged.
Hungary’s Central Investigative Prosecutor’s Office has launched proceedings on suspicion of endangering water traffic. However, officials have so far declined to provide further information about the case.
Réka Domokos, deputy spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, confirmed only that proceedings are ongoing at the Regional Investigative Prosecutor’s Office in Szeged and that no additional details can be released while the investigation is underway.
Local accounts raise further questions
The incident has attracted attention in Baja, where the local water police are generally known for their strict enforcement of boating regulations. As a result, many residents have been surprised by reports suggesting that police-operated vessels were involved in the accident.
People interviewed by Blikk claimed that the jet ski operator had to be rescued from the river after the collision. One local boat owner told the newspaper that he had heard the officer may have briefly lost consciousness before regaining awareness in the water. The same source said the officer narrowly avoided a far more serious outcome, alleging that the motorboat’s propeller passed extremely close to his head.
Some local accounts also suggest that the two vessels had been travelling close to one another before the accident. Witnesses cited by the newspaper claimed that the operators may have crossed each other’s paths and created waves in front of the other vessel. According to these accounts, one of these manoeuvres may have gone wrong, leaving the motorboat operator unable to avoid a collision. These claims have not been confirmed by the authorities.
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An unusual case for the water police
Summer is the busiest period for water police units on the Danube, when boat traffic increases significantly. Officers regularly check licences, safety equipment and compliance with navigation rules, while also taking part in rescue operations and emergency responses.
For that reason, the Baja incident has drawn particular interest locally. Residents quoted by Blikk described the local water police as disciplined and strict when enforcing regulations. Many therefore find it unusual that police-operated vessels could have become involved in such an incident.
Investigators are expected to examine whether any manoeuvre or breach of navigation rules contributed to the accident. Until the authorities release further information, however, the exact circumstances of what happened on the Danube near Baja remain unclear.
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