Fourteen people were injured after the river cruise ship Anna Katharina struck a lock wall in Vienna, Austria, early Friday morning, July 24. The 443 foot ship was carrying about 200 passengers and crew members on the Danube River when it hit the wall at the Freudenau power plant at approximately 4:30 a.m.
The force of the impact damaged the ship’s bow and reportedly threw some passengers against parts of the vessel’s interior. The injuries were described as minor, although six people were taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Firefighters, police, and medical personnel responded by land and water. Rescue crews used an aerial ladder to remove five people from the vessel, while two others were brought ashore by fireboat.
The Anna Katharina remained afloat and did not take on water. After the injured passengers were treated, the remaining passengers were transferred to another river cruise ship to continue their journey.
Police have opened an investigation into the cause of the collision, which has not yet been determined. Authorities are considering whether a technical defect may have contributed to the collision.
The incident follows another Danube river cruise accident involving a vessel striking a fixed structure. In 2022, a Viking river cruise ship struck a bridge pillar in Komárno, Slovakia, injuring 11 people.