Four Bodies Recovered from Hableány Wreck

The body of the Hungarian captain of the tourist boat Hableány (Mermaid) has been removed from the wreck after the vessel sank on May 29 when she collided with the cruise ship Viking Sigyn.

The Hableány was brought to the surface on Tuesday, and four victims were recovered, including the captain and the only child that was on the vessel. There were seven survivors in the incident and 24 now confirmed dead, most South Koreans. Four remain missing.

The Hableány, a 27-meter (89-foot) double-decker tourist ship, sank quickly after colliding with the 135-meter (443-foot) Viking Sigyn on the Danube River in Budapest last Wednesday night. The wreck was found on the bed of the river close to one of the pillars of Margaret Bridge. Some of the bodies that were recovered last week were pulled out of the water several miles south of the bridge where the incident occurred, according to a map release by the police.

Questions have been raised about the high amount of traffic on the Danube at the time and the possible tightening of water traffic regulations. 

The 64-year-old captain of the Viking Sigyn, who is a Ukrainian citizen, was arrested last Thursday following questioning. The court has ordered that he be detained for a period of 30 days pending prosecution.