The 105 meter long passenger ship Da Vinci caught fire while at anchor on the Rhine at Basel, Switzerland. The fire started in the lower deck of the vessel in the laundry releasing dense smoke. The 67 passengers and 25 crew were able to evacuate the vessel. One person suffered smoke inhalation and was taken to hospital. The local fire brigade from Basel-Stadt were able to extinguish the blaze.
The 52 meter long self-propelled dreger-barge Merlin capsized on the Rhine River in Basel, Switzerland near the port of Kleinhüningen. The Merlin was loaded with gravel when it became destabilized and capsized. The 4 crew on board were able to abandon ship before the vessel overturn with its keel out of the water. The crew were rescued by firefighters and water police.
The Merlin, pulled by the strong current, drifted into the side of the passing passenger ship Olympia. The Olympia had attempted to steer clear of the Merlin, but was struck on the port side. In this attempt, the Olympia then struck into the side of the moored passenger ship Lafayette. Both vessels sustained some hull damage and the Olympia later reported a leak and some water ingress. The 50 passengers on board the Olympia and the 100 passengers on the Lafayette were taken ashore while both vessels were inspected. No reports of injuries.
Authorities were able to secure the overturn Merlin and secure it to the shoreline. Reports state there was some pollution released into the river as some diesel fuel spilled from the Merlin. No reports of injuries.
The 110 foot long inland tanker MS Roma allided with the Middle Wettstein Bridge at Basel, Switzerland. The tanker was proceeding down the Rhine when it suffered engine failure. The current pulled the tanker until it struck the bridge resulting in the Roma’s wheelhouse being crushed. The crew of five on the Roma were able to stop the tanker from drifting further by an emergency anchor. No reports of injury. The Roma was proceeding in ballast only and no pollution was released. Traffic on the Rhine around Basel was suspended for a short period. The Roma was taken under tow by the tug Vogel Gryff to allow traffic to continue.
