Last week, a cruise ship collided with a boat after getting caught in heavy fog, injuring the passengers and crew members. Let’s explore the details of the Rhine river cruise ship accident with Ehline Law and our personal injury attorneys.

Two Ships Collided After Getting Caught in Heavy Fog

On September 11, 2022, a river cruise ship set off early in the morning on Germany’s Rhine River, carrying passengers from Antwerp, Amsterdam, and other cities on a cruise vacation. At around 6:50 A.M, a sudden crash woke 190 passengers aboard, injuring some from the impact.

Rhine River Cruise Ship Collides with Another Vessel; Passengers Report

The Viking Kvasir was on the Rhine River near Wesel, Germany, when it suddenly crashed into a cargo ship on Sunday morning. The two boats crashed due to heavy fog. The collision woke the passengers, and some shaken guests immediately ran towards the deck to investigate what happened.

Passengers and Crew Members Suffered Minor Injuries after the Cruise Ship Collides

Shaken passengers started sharing pictures and videos of the collision’s aftermath on social media. The accident left one crew member requiring medical treatment as he burned himself in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the passengers before the crash. Some guests suffered minor injuries, scratches, and scuffs from shattered glass.

How the Viking Ship Accident Unraveled from a Passenger’s Perspective

Following the accident, one of the passengers reached out to an attorney, Jim Walker, a partner at Walker and O’Neill. Walker also runs a cruise law news blog that updates his readers on incidents and legislation about cruise ships and the cruise industry. Newsweek reached out to Walker for a detailed account of the accident.

Limited Visibility Before Cruise Ship Collides with Another Boat

According to the guest, who wants to remain anonymous, the first officer piloted the Viking Kvasir early in the morning amidst the heavy fog. The guest submitted a picture taken from the balcony showing the impact of the collision and stated that they saw another ship perpendicular to the Viking Kvasir on the Rhine river.

Due to limited visibility, the first officer did not have enough time to react. Although the ship’s engines were in reverse for about 5 seconds, it still crashed into the other boat.

The unnamed guest stated that a doctor tended to the crew member suffering from burn injuries. Some crew members had minor cuts from picking up the broken glass, while some passengers suffered minor injuries as they stood before the crash occurred.

The First Officer Explains the Incident to Passengers after Calling a Meeting

After things settled, the ship’s crew hosted a meeting with all the passengers to update them about the situation. According to the guest, the captain of the river cruise ship stated that the accident was the other ship’s fault. The ship officer was overcome with emotions as she explained to the passengers how she tried to minimize the accident’s impact, to which the guests applauded.

Cruise Ship Covers the Unsightly Damage: Who Is Responsible?

Port authorities and police were informed about the accident, prompting an immediate investigation. The cruise ship suffered damage on the front hull and had paintwork removed, all covered by a tarp.

The CruiseMapper website, a site that tracks ships and provides alerts on Maritime accidents, reported the following types of damages arising from the collision:

• Minor frontal hull damage
• Interior damage, including broken glassware, windows, and tableware
• Minor injuries to two passengers and a few crew members

In the incident, “Cruise ship collides with another vessel after getting caught in heavy fog on Sunday morning,” it is premature to say anything about liability until a full investigation occurs. The tarp covering the frontal damage could reveal a bit more about how the accident occurred.

River cruise boats and cruise crashes are rare, but when they do occur, they can be devastating.

In 2012, a cruise ship, Costa Concordia, set off to its destination carrying 4,200 passengers. The captain, Francesco Schettino, intentionally bought the vessel near Giglio Island while talking on the phone. The ship crashed into the reef, tipping over and resulting in 32 deaths.

A surviving passenger sued Carnival Cruise Line for suffering post-traumatic stress disorder from the accident and received $105,000 in damages, one of the few civil lawsuits against the multi-billion dollar cruise company.

Schedule a Free Consultation with Ehline Law

Lawsuits against cruise lines are often challenging as the industry remains deregulated and backed by lobbyists who spend millions on lobbying regulatory legislatures. However, with a successful trial attorney with extensive experience, you can increase your chances of compensation.

Ehline Law and our personal injury attorneys have recovered more than $150 million in compensation for our injured clients. Some of our cruise ship verdicts include the following:

• Doe v. Doe – $4.88 million (cruise ship assaults)
• Doe v. Doe – $1.4 million (sexual assault involving a minor)
• Passenger v. Cruise Ship – $150,000 (cruise ship slip and fall accident)

If you’re injured on a cruise ship that wasn’t your fault, contact us at (833) LETS-SUE for a free consultation with our expert cruise ship attorneys.