One Dead, One Injured in Inland Barge Collision in Friesland

 

On Monday, an inland cargo vessel collided with a private yacht on a canal in the Netherlands' Friesland region. One person aboard the yacht was killed and a second was injured, according to local police. 

At about 1430 hours on Monday, the Friesland police received an alert that the inland barge Spes-Vera had collided with a yacht on the Princess Margriet Canal, not far from the town of Warten. Initial bystander reports indicated that the yacht had hit the stern of the barge, then capsized. 

Firefighters and other first responders flooded the scene in an attempt to rescue any survivors. The upturned hull of the yacht remained partially afloat, easing access, but this was not enough to save all aboard. A 69-year-old woman lost her life in the collision, and a 76-year-old man was evacuated to the hospital by emergency services. 

An investigation into the cause of the casualty is under way, and the captain of the Spes-Vera has been questioned by the authorities.