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Budapest Appeals Court has ordered a retrial of criminal case
The Budapest Appeals Court has ordered a retrial of the first-instance procedure in the criminal case connected to the collision of the sightseeing boat 'Hableány' with the 'Viking Sigyn' on May 29, 2019, on the Danube at the Margaret Bridge, killing 28 of the 35 people on board. Seven tourists were rescued from the water after the collision and the rest died. One of the bodies has not been recovered. The first-instance court had sentenced the captain of the 'Viking Sigyn' to 5.5 years in prison. The Appeals Court ordered a retrial, saying the judge in the case was biased. The accused remains under supervision during the trial. A judge participating in the sentencing procedure should have been recused from the trial, as they seemed to be unable to make impartial decisions. That runs afoul of procedural regulations, and so is a reason for retrial- The prosecutor’s office brought charges against the Ukrainian captain in July 2022. The court convicted him of negligence by endangering river traffic and causing a lethal accident. In a civil lawsuit brought in connection with the accident, the Municipal Court awarded 4.8 million Euro in damages to the families of the victims. The damages are to be paid by two shipping companies.
4,6 million Euro compensation for families affected by tragedy in 2019
The municipal court of Budapest has made a landmark decision, mandating a combined compensation of 1.8 billion forints (approximately EUR 4.6 million) to the families affected by the collision of the Viking Sigyn' and the 'Hableany' on the River Danube on May 29, 2019. The ruling benefits 78 family members of the 27 victims. Following the tragedy, legal battles ensued, putting the spotlight on the responsibilities of the Viking River Cruises AG and Panoráma Deck Kft as operator of the 'Hableany'. After years of investigations and court hearings, the Budapest municipal court's decision to award substantial compensation marked a significant milestone for the victims' families, emphasizing the accountability of the operators involved and also setting a precedent for the handling of similar incidents in the future. The court has provided a 15-day window for the involved parties to appeal against the decision, a critical period that could potentially alter the course of the compensation process.
Captain convicted to 5,5 years prison for collision which killed 27 people
The captain of the 'Viking Sigyn', which involved in a fatal collision on the Danube in Budapest in 2019, has been sentenced to 5,5 years in prison. 27 people were killed when the ship collided with the tour boat 'Hableány', which had 35 people on board when it sank. The 'Viking Sigyn' had slammed into the tourist boat under a bridge on May 29, 2019, when it was raining heavily. The smaller vessel sank within tens of seconds. 25 South Korean tourists and the two Hungarian crew members died. One South Korean crew member has still not been found. The Ukrainian captain expressed "deep regret" in court on Sep 26, 2023, shortly before he was convicted of negligence. The 60-year-old man, who has been in custody since 2019, was acquitted for not providing aid to the shipwrecked people. According to prosecutors, the captain did not focus on steering the river cruise ship for several minutes and did not immediately order his staff to help the shipwrecked people. He had been working as a captain for about 30 years when the collision occurred.
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