2 individuals were killed and 5 others remain missing following a collision between a small motorboat and a cruise ship on the Danube River, north of Budapest Hungary, on Saturday night, May 18th, according to Hungarian police on Sunday.
Disaster response units, comprising 95 personnel, 25 vessels, and drones, are actively searching for the 5 missing along the entire Hungarian section of the Danube downstream from the collision site, stated the police.
Budapest police spokesperson Soma Csecsi confirmed that 8 adults were aboard the small motorboat at the time of the accident.
The collision came to light on Saturday night when a man with a bleeding head wound was found near a main road by the river close to Veroce, 55 km (34 mi) north of Budapest City. Police concluded from initial communications with the man that he was likely involved in a boating accident.
The body of a man was found south of Veroce, and a woman’s body was later discovered downstream near a bridge on the northern outskirts of Budapest. The damaged motorboat was also recovered in this area.
A cruise ship present in the vicinity during the accident, ms Heidelberg, was detained in Komarom. Police noted damage on the vessel's hull, including large scratches on the bow.
A criminal investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the collision and to establish whether any criminal liability is involved, according to Csecsi.