PHOTO: Boat drifts away uncontrollably on Danube with 14 kids on board

A boat drifted away on the River Danube in Budapest with 14 children and two adults on board. The boat was one of the galleys of a rowing camp. Water patrol servicemen of the local police and the maintenance of public places saved them.

According to the Facebook page of the Óbuda-Békásmegyer maintenance of the public places, the organisation and the local police regularly join forces to monitor rowers on that segment of the Danube. Yesterday started as an ordinary day until one of the galleys on board with 14 children and two adults drifted away.

Officers immediately offered their help and towed the galley back to the port. There, they made sure the boat and its passengers are safe. Thanks to the quick rescue operation, the children did not panic. The galley commuted according to the rules, keeping all safety regulations. Furthermore, each kid wore a life jacket.

According to the galley’s captain, the boat’s engine shut down for unknown reasons, and he could not restart it. Therefore, the vessel became uncontrollable. Thankfully, nobody was injured.

Based on a comment, the problem was that somebody put a plank on the pipe of the fuel system after refilling the fuel tank and cleaning the ship. As a result, the engine stopped temporarily. As soon as the captain noticed the error, they phoned for help, and the company sent immediate rescue, the comment writer said.

They maintained contact with the captain during the entire time, and the boat was preparing to be moored when the police arrived to help. They towed the boat to the first port, which the children experienced as an adventure. Afterwards, they corrected the error and continued the galley program.

Here is another photo: