River Cruise Ship Collision in Vienna Lock Injures 14

A cruise ship struck a lock wall in Vienna, an incident that injured 14 people. The event occurred when the river tourism vessel Anna Katharina collided with the wall and gate of the lock at the Freudenau power plant, on the Danube River, at 4:30 am. The impact caused damage to the bow of the ship, but the hull remained intact, and the vessel did not report any water ingress.

The cruise ship was sailing through the Austrian capital with approximately 200 people on board at the time of the accident. Six of those affected were taken to the hospital for back, neck, and chest pain, while the other individuals involved sustained minor injuries and contusions due to the force of the impact.

A German paramedic traveling as a passenger provided first aid to the victims prior to the arrival of specialized teams. Firefighters, police, and emergency medical services responded to the scene by land and water, using turntable ladder trucks and a fire boat to evacuate seven people from the deck.

Following medical attention and confirmation of all passengers, the cruise operator arranged for the transfer of the remaining travelers to another river vessel to continue their journey. Vienna police initiated investigations along with a judicial inquiry to clarify the causes of the incident. A police spokesperson told local media Heute that "the possibility of a technical defect being the cause of the accident is being considered."

The Anna Katharina, operated by Phoenix Reisen and owned by Scylla, is a river cruise ship built in 2019 with a length of 135 meters and a capacity for 180 passengers. The vessel operates navigation routes through the waterway system of the Rhine, Main, and Danube rivers. Authorities are continuing the investigation to determine with certainty the origin of the collision.