By The European Times | Created at 2026-07-29 06:36:26 | Updated at 2026-08-08 14:59:44
1 week ago
A Swiss-flagged cruise ship has run aground in the Danube River near the village of Salcea in Mehedince County in southwestern Romania. The incident was caused by extremely low water levels. There are 186 passengers and 52 crew members on board, Digi24 reports.
The ship set sail from Drobeta-Turnu Severin on Monday evening heading for Vidin. During the voyage, it ran aground in the middle of the Danube in an area characterized by numerous sandbars.
The river levels are currently very low, with a flow rate of approximately 1,600 cubic meters per second. As a result, the ship was unable to continue its journey to Bulgaria, Romanian media reported.
Several attempts to free it were made both on Monday evening and this morning, but without success. Port authorities said the chances were slim.
The incident comes amid a severe drought affecting Europe. Over the weekend, the level of the Danube in Romania fell to its lowest level since 1996, imposing restrictions on farmers’ irrigation and partially disrupting shipping and tourism activities on the river.
Illustrative photo: pexels-bence-szemerey-337043-9376879
