MSC Opera, a cruise ship with MSC Cruises, was pulling into a berth in the Giudecca canal in Venice when it crashed into a dock and a tourist boat early on Sunday morning injuring multiple people.
The crash took place around 8:30 am local time on 02nd June when the ship was maneuvering towards the cruise terminals in Venice As the ship pulled in, accompanied by tugboats, it collided with the dock at San Basilio and a river boat that was moored there said Alyssa Goldfarb, director of public relations for MSC Cruises. As per Gazzettino, the local newspaper in Venice, the collision caused several people from the smaller boat to fall into the water. At least five people are reported injured.
The damaged River Countess tourist boat is pictured after it was hit early on June 2, 2019 by the MSC Opera cruise ship (R) that lost control as it was coming in to dock in Venice, Italy. – Tourists on land could be seen running away as the MSC Opera scraped along the dockside, its engine blaring, before knocking into the River Countess tourist boat. (Photo by Andrea PATTARO / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANDREA PATTARO/AFP/Getty Images)
Videos shot at the scene show terrified passeners from the river boat fleeing onto the berth as the cruise ship plows into the dock and the river boat.The hull of the river boat was severely damaged as was seen in images posted on Twitter.
The ship was later moved to the Marittima terminal, as planned, where it will carry out passenger boarding and disembarking and officials are investigating the cause of the crash said Goldfarb.
The crash stalled boat traffic in the famed canal and has ignited calls for restrictions to be placed on cruise ships in the city. More than 100 people were aboard the tourist boat while the MSC Opera can carry more than 2,675 passengers.
Warning: The videos may be distressing for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised. Video 1 shot from the cruise ship and Video 2 shot from the berth by personnel fleeing the river boat.
Maritime Outlook 