Passenger Killed as Nile River Cruise Ships Collide

Egyptian authorities are confirming that one passenger, an Italian tourist, has died from injuries sustained during the collision of two Nile River cruise ships. The captain of one of the vessels has had his license suspended and is under investigation for violations of the maritime regulations.

The General Authority for River Transport is accusing the captain of the cruise ship Royal Beau Rivage of making a sudden, sharp maneuver, which caused the two vessels to collide. The Royal Beau Rivage is considered to be one of the deluxe river boats on the Nile, with 71 cabins and a capacity for more than 140 passengers. It is 72 meters (236 feet) in length and was launched in September 2022.

The ship was carrying a group of approximately 80 Italian tourists. It was approaching the dock near Esna Lock, near Aswan, nearly 20 miles south of Luxor. The two river boats collided about 8:00 p.m. local time on Sunday night, December 21.

The Opera, a riverboat built in 2009 with a capacity for 199 passengers, reported damage to its bow from the collision. Three of four cabins at the front of the Royal Beau Rivage were heavily damaged. A 47-year-old female Italian tourist was in one of the cabins and sustained multiple injuries. She was rushed to an Egyptian hospital, but died from her injuries.

The Opera had cleared the lock on a trip from Aswan to Luxor. It was about 1.2 miles from the lock when the collision occurred with the Royal Beau Rivage, which was heading from Luxor to Aswan.

Some reports are saying that they also feared several other people might have been in the river after the impact. The authorities were seen on the river, but the Italian ambassador said there were no other reports of severe injuries. River traffic resumed on Monday.

The river authority is highlighting that the navigation rules give priority to vessels traveling with the current. They said the Royal Beau Rivage had violated the rules, reporting that the captain’s license was suspended, and the matter had been handed over to the general prosecutor for investigation.