A cruise ship has struck a dock and a tourist riverboat on a busy canal in Venice. Italian media report that at least five people have been injured in the crash. The collision happened at about 8.30am on Sunday on the Giudecca Canal, a major thoroughfare that leads to St Mark’s Square in the north-eastern Italian city.
Video of the crash shows the cruise ship, apparently unable to halt its momentum, ploughing into the much smaller riverboat and the dock as dozens of people run away in panic. Venice is a tremendously popular site for both tourists and cruise ships, especially during the summer tourist season.
Davide Caldera, the president of the company that owned the two tug boats steering the cruise ship before the accident, told Italian news agency ANSA that the cruise ship’s engine had failed. “The tug boats were trying to stop the ‘giant’ until one of the tow cables broke down in the collision with the riverboat,” he said. Local activists have campaigned for Venice to ban large cruise ships from entering the lagoon for years and were seen protesting on the scene of the accident.
> Alma Siddiqua
Italy: Cruise Ship Crashes into Tourist Boat Left 5 Injured
Will You Support Our Work?
People turns to WhatsOn to understand what's goingOn? We have been empowering through hope & understanding for the last forty years. We’re an independent social enterprise & our journalism is powered by our supporters. Financial contributions from our readers allows us to keep our journalism free for all & to change the world for better. Please support us, with your donation - no matter how small. Your donation makes a real difference, it empowers our activist & academy, and engages wider community groups, & universities - connecting more people. WhatsOn is a change maker, let’s get our future back together!
