Britannia
The 110 meter long passenger ship Britannia suffered water ingress on the Ijssel while berthed near Zutphen, Netherlands. The Britannia was en route to Cologne from Deventer with 154 passengers when a leak was discovered in the stern portion of the vessel. The local fire brigade was requested as the vessel was unable to control the water ingress. Passengers and crew were evacuated to a nearby hotels No reports of injuries. Some 80 men including local fire and police, arrived on scene with multiple dewatering pumps. Several hours later, the pumps were able to bring the flooding under control. Booms were placed around the vessel to contain any pollution released.
Reports state the vessel’s hull had cracked which was around one meter wide. The passenger ship may have struck bottom as the water level at Zutphen was low or the vessel struck something floating in the water. Divers were requested to examine the vessel and placed a temporary wooden patch on the hull. The Britannia will be towed to a shipyard for repairs and allow for further investigation by authorities.
