Tourist boat capsized in Budapest, at least 7 dead! – UPDATE – PHOTOS

The Hungarian riverboat used for tourism capsized in Budapest, Hungary on Wednesday evening (10 PM) with 34 people on board, including passengers and crew, and a rescue effort was underway by Hungarian rescue crews.

• LATEST PHOTOS

The boat called Hableány (in English: ‘Mermaid’) capsized after being hit by another tourist vessel. 

The boat was moored near the Hungarian parliament building and reportedly was hit by another tourist vessel, then turned over on the Danube, which has been flooding with strong currents following a rainstorm and heavy rain in the Hungarian capital. In the accident, all the passengers, mainly South Korean tourists, went into the cold water.

Photo: MTI

Photo: MTI

The Hungarian media speculated there might be at least seven fatalities in the accident in Budapest.

The Rescue crews are on the scene, and as the several media said, some of the people have already been rescued while the search for others continues.

Photo: MTI

The 16 missing after tourist river boat capsizes in Budapest

Previous photo of Hableány/Mermaid Event Boat

Previous photo of Hableány/Mermaid Event Boat

UPDATE

Photo: MTI

Photo: MTI

Photo: MTI

UPDATE: Death toll has since risen to 7.

The rescue mission is currently underway. A senior police officer on site informed news outlets that

“professional divers are looking for and rescuing survivors”.

Recent heavy rains made the current strong on the river and that is expected to make the rescue mission significantly harder. 

UPDATE

Danube ship collision – Here is the VIDEO

The South Korean government set up a government-level operative team headed by the foreign minister to cooperate with Hungarian authorities and assist South Koreans involved in the disaster.

Source: MTI/24.hu