Posted on January 23, 2025
Eleven people suffered varying degrees of injury after a barge collided with a passenger ferry on the Elbe River in the city of Hamburg in Germany on Monday, January 20.
The incident occurred at around 06:45 local time on Monday when a barge being handled by a pusher tug struck the ferry Övelgönne as both were transiting the Elbe in heavy fog near the Hamburg borough of Altona.
The incident left the ferry with a hull breach just above the waterline as well as some shattered windows, though local officials said there has been no pollution or flooding.
Firefighters, police, and paramedics deployed to the area following the crash and subsequently evacuated all 25 passengers on the ferry.
An initial report revealed the incident left one person on the ferry with life-threatening injuries while ten others sustained only minor injuries. These eleven individuals have since been brought to hospital.
A fire official said Övelgönne is presently berthed at a local dock and not in danger of sinking.
Local marine accident investigators have already begun identifying and examining the events that led to the mishap.
