News Trending

Ukrainian Captain Imprisoned Following Deadly River Tour Boat Collision on the Danube

By 204 0

The captain of a cruise ship involved in a fatal collision with a small tour boat on the River Danube in Budapest, resulting in the death of 28 people, has been sentenced to five years in prison. This incident occurred during a rainstorm in May 2019 when the Mermaid, carrying South Korean tourists, quickly sank following the collision.

The Ukrainian captain of the Viking Sigyn cruise ship, Yuri Chaplinsky, maintained his innocence but was found guilty of gross negligence. Chaplinsky intends to appeal the verdict.

This tragedy marked the Danube’s worst accident in three decades, impacting Europe’s second-longest river. Hungarian prosecutors argued in March 2020 that Chaplinsky had failed to pay sufficient attention and neglected proper navigation during the rainstorm. They stated that he didn’t detect the presence of the Mermaid, failed to communicate or issue emergency signals, and did not focus on steering the ship for several critical minutes.

The collision occurred just after 21:00 local time on May 29 when both vessels were passing under Budapest’s Margaret Bridge. Although seven of the 35 people on board the Mermaid were rescued and some bodies were swiftly recovered, others were swept away in the swift-flowing river or trapped inside the sinking boat. The boat sank within moments of the collision.

Twenty-five of the victims were South Koreans, including the Mermaid’s captain and a crew member. Only seven Korean passengers survived the accident, and one individual remains unaccounted for.

Chaplinsky, who has been in custody since 2019, expressed deep sorrow for the tragic accident during the court proceedings. He acknowledged that he cannot escape the memories of the tragedy and that it will haunt him for the rest of his life. Notably, he was acquitted of the charge of failing to provide assistance.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Greek Minister Steps Down Following Death of Passenger on Delayed Ferry

By 183 0

Greece’s shipping minister, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, has resigned due to controversial remarks he made on television in the wake of a passenger’s death, allegedly pushed off a ferry by crew members.

Varvitsiotis expressed that his statements, which appeared to support the ferry’s crew in the incident, were “misinterpreted.”

Criminal charges have been filed against the ship’s captain and three crew members regarding the incident at the port of Piraeus in Athens, which has sparked outrage in Greece.

A video on social media depicted the 36-year-old passenger, Antonis Kargiotis, attempting to board the Blue Horizon ferry as it was departing from Athens to Crete. Crew members on the loading ramp seemed to physically prevent him from boarding, and he was subsequently pushed into the sea. The ferry continued its voyage as scheduled but returned to port as instructed by authorities, where Kargiotis’ body was recovered.

Varvitsiotis faced severe criticism for his remarks, with Greek newspaper Ekathimerini describing them as “entirely misguided and deeply regrettable.”

In a statement on social media, Varvitsiotis expressed shock over Kargiotis’ death and claimed that his comments had been “misinterpreted,” emphasizing that he did not equate the victim with the perpetrators and expressing his discomfort with the backlash he received.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis expressed disgust and horror over the incident, attributing it to a combination of irresponsibility, cynicism, contempt, and indifference. He pledged that the state would fulfill its duty.

The ferry’s captain and three crew members faced a prosecutor on September 6, the day following the passenger’s death. The captain is charged with felony dangerous interference with maritime traffic, while the crew member accused of pushing the passenger faces charges of manslaughter with potential malice. Two other crew members are being prosecuted for complicity in manslaughter.

Attica Group, the owner of the Blue Horizon ferry line, issued a statement expressing devastation over the tragic incident and pledging cooperation with the authorities.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Titanic Sub Crew Dead After “Catastrophic Implosion”: US Coast Guard

By 214 0

The recent incident involving the missing submersible, known as the Titan, and its crew members has resulted in a tragic outcome. According to the US Coast Guard, the five crew members aboard the Titan died due to a “catastrophic implosion” of their vessel. This conclusion was reached after examining debris found underwater, approximately 1,600 feet (488 meters) from the bow of the Titanic.

The missing craft, Titan, had garnered global fascination as numerous ships and aircraft were involved in the search efforts across an area of the North Atlantic twice the size of Connecticut. The submersible had lost contact with the Canadian research vessel Polar Prince on June 18, raising concerns about the crew’s diminishing oxygen supply.

During the search, unidentified sounds were detected, but they were not connected to the missing craft. The crew members aboard the Titan were identified as Hamish Harding of the UK, Paul-Henry Nargeolet of France, Stockton Rush of the United States, and Shahzada Dawood and Suleman Dawood of Pakistan. They were described as passionate explorers who had a deep love for the oceans.

The Titan, a 6.7-meter-long craft constructed from carbon fiber and titanium, was designed to carry a pilot and four crew members to a maximum depth of 4,000 meters (13,120 feet). It had systems in place to monitor the crew’s health and provide early warning in case of any issues during the dive.

OceanGate Expeditions, the operator of the mission, expressed their condolences to the families of the crew members and acknowledged their significant contributions to ocean exploration and conservation. The company offers expeditions to the Titanic site, allowing qualified explorers to join as mission specialists and support the scientific exploration of the historic shipwreck.

The loss of the Titan and its crew members is a tragic event, and the global community mourns their passing.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright