South Korean rescuers to help in Hungary boat crash that killed at least seven
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(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Employees of Very Good Tour Co. talk on the phones at its headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A sightseeing boat carrying 33 South Korean passengers and two crew members collided with another vessel and sank in the Danube River in downtown Budapest. The tourists are confirmed to have been on a package tour to Hungary sold by the travel agency.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Employees of Very Good Tour Co. talk on the phones at its headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A sightseeing boat carrying 33 South Korean passengers and two crew members collided with another vessel and sank in the Danube River in downtown Budapest. The tourists are confirmed to have been on a package tour to Hungary sold by the travel agency.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Employees of Very Good Tour Co. talk on the phones at its headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A sightseeing boat carrying 33 South Korean passengers and two crew members collided with another vessel and sank in the Danube River in downtown Budapest. The tourists are confirmed to have been on a package tour to Hungary sold by the travel agency.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) Employees of Very Good Tour Co. talk on the phones at its headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A sightseeing boat carrying 33 South Korean passengers and two crew members collided with another vessel and sank in the Danube River in downtown Budapest. The tourists are confirmed to have been on a package tour to Hungary sold by the travel agency.
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(Peter Lakatos/MTI via AP) A rescue boat searches for victims late Wednesday, May 29, 2019, after a tourist boat crashed with a river cruise boat, in River Danube in Budapest. The boat capsized and sunk in the river Wednesday evening, with dozens of people on board, including passengers and crew, Hungarian media reported.
(Peter Lakatos/MTI via AP) A rescue boat searches for victims late Wednesday, May 29, 2019, after a tourist boat crashed with a river cruise boat, in River Danube in Budapest. The boat capsized and sunk in the river Wednesday evening, with dozens of people on board, including passengers and crew, Hungarian media reported.
(Peter Lakatos/MTI via AP) A rescue boat searches for victims late Wednesday, May 29, 2019, after a tourist boat crashed with a river cruise boat, in River Danube in Budapest. The boat capsized and sunk in the river Wednesday evening, with dozens of people on board, including passengers and crew, Hungarian media reported.
(Peter Lakatos/MTI via AP) A rescue boat searches for victims late Wednesday, May 29, 2019, after a tourist boat crashed with a river cruise boat, in River Danube in Budapest. The boat capsized and sunk in the river Wednesday evening, with dozens of people on board, including passengers and crew, Hungarian media reported.
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(Zoltan Mathe/MTI via AP) A ship tows a floating pier to Margaret Bridge during the seach operation on the River Danube in downtown Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, May 30, 2019, following a collision of a hotelship and a smaller cruise ship on the previous evening. The cruise ship sank with thirty-three South Korean passengers and two Hungarian staff on board. At least seven people died and nineteen are missing. The shipwreck was found at Margaret Bridge.
(Zoltan Mathe/MTI via AP) A ship tows a floating pier to Margaret Bridge during the seach operation on the River Danube in downtown Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, May 30, 2019, following a collision of a hotelship and a smaller cruise ship on the previous evening. The cruise ship sank with thirty-three South Korean passengers and two Hungarian staff on board. At least seven people died and nineteen are missing. The shipwreck was found at Margaret Bridge.
(Zoltan Mathe/MTI via AP) A ship tows a floating pier to Margaret Bridge during the seach operation on the River Danube in downtown Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, May 30, 2019, following a collision of a hotelship and a smaller cruise ship on the previous evening. The cruise ship sank with thirty-three South Korean passengers and two Hungarian staff on board. At least seven people died and nineteen are missing. The shipwreck was found at Margaret Bridge.
(Zoltan Mathe/MTI via AP) A ship tows a floating pier to Margaret Bridge during the seach operation on the River Danube in downtown Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, May 30, 2019, following a collision of a hotelship and a smaller cruise ship on the previous evening. The cruise ship sank with thirty-three South Korean passengers and two Hungarian staff on board. At least seven people died and nineteen are missing. The shipwreck was found at Margaret Bridge.
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(AP Photo/Laszlo Balogh) The Viking Sigyn hotel ship is moored following a collision with a sightseeing boat in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search was underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour. Seven people are confirmed dead, officials said Thursday.
(AP Photo/Laszlo Balogh) The Viking Sigyn hotel ship is moored following a collision with a sightseeing boat in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search was underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour. Seven people are confirmed dead, officials said Thursday.
(AP Photo/Laszlo Balogh) The Viking Sigyn hotel ship is moored following a collision with a sightseeing boat in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search was underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour. Seven people are confirmed dead, officials said Thursday.
(AP Photo/Laszlo Balogh) The Viking Sigyn hotel ship is moored following a collision with a sightseeing boat in Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search was underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour. Seven people are confirmed dead, officials said Thursday.
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(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) South Korean navy rescue team members prepare to board a plane to leave for Budapest at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search is underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) South Korean navy rescue team members prepare to board a plane to leave for Budapest at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search is underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) South Korean navy rescue team members prepare to board a plane to leave for Budapest at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search is underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) South Korean navy rescue team members prepare to board a plane to leave for Budapest at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search is underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour.
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(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) South Korean rescue team members prepare to board a plane to leave for Budapest at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search is underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) South Korean rescue team members prepare to board a plane to leave for Budapest at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search is underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) South Korean rescue team members prepare to board a plane to leave for Budapest at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search is underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour.
(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) South Korean rescue team members prepare to board a plane to leave for Budapest at Incheon International Airport in Incheon, South Korea, Thursday, May 30, 2019. A massive search is underway on the Danube River in downtown Budapest for over a dozen people missing after a sightseeing boat with 33 South Korean tourists sank after colliding with another vessel during an evening downpour.
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) – South Korea is sending its own rescue workers to Hungary to support rescue efforts following a deadly boat accident in Budapest involving 33 South Koreans.
Seven people are confirmed dead, 21 others are missing and seven have been rescued so far.
The team including 25 members from the country’s national fire agency, navy and coast guard were on their way Thursday.
South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said the team includes rescue workers who had been involved in the rescue operations for a 2014 ferry disaster that killed more than 300 people in South Korea — one of the country’s biggest maritime accidents.
Meanwhile, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has called Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to discuss rescue operations.
Police said Thursday that the small sightseeing boat, the “Hableany” (“Mermaid”), crashed with the Viking boat at 9:05 p.m. local time Wednesday night beneath the Margit Bridge.
“Both ships were heading north … and when they arrived between two pillars of the Margit Bridge, for some reason the Hableany turned in front of the Viking ship. As the Viking comes into contact with it, it overturns it and in about seven seconds, as it turned on its side, it sank,” Police Col. Adrian Pal told reporters.
Video footage showed that the two vessels were traveling closely side by side as they approached the bridge in central Budapest. It was not immediately clear what caused the collision.
“Several people fell into the water from the ‘Hableany’,” Pal said.
CCTV footage recorded on Wednesday night showed that the river was busy with boats of different sizes traveling in both directions.
Seoul’s presidential Blue House said Thursday that Moon thanked Orban over the Hungarian government’s rescue efforts, and requested further support for efforts to find the missing, treat the survivors and recover bodies.
The Blue House says Orban told Moon that more than 200 divers and medical staff are involved in the rescue efforts and that officials are planning to locate and hoist the ship.
A South Korean travel agency says 38 relatives of the South Korean tourists who were on board a sightseeing boat that capsized in Budapest are on their way to the Hungarian capital.
Lee Sang-moo from the Very Good Tour company said Thursday that the family members will be flown in on four flights and will arrive in Budapest on Friday afternoon and evening.
