Ship Crashes Into Tower in Italy Causing Three Deaths
Three people are dead after a container ship smashed into a control tower in a night-time accident in Genoa, Italy. Several other passengers are missing in the water at the port of Genoa due to the accident. One victim was a woman in her 30s and the other two were supposedly male, according to early reports from the scene and eyewitness accounts.
The accident occurred during a shift change.
The tower at the port collapsed into the water with 14 people in it when the ship crashed into it. The tower bent 45 degrees and a huge chunk of it fell into the water. 10 people are believed to be missing in the busy waters of the port area. Six others were found to be seriously injured.
The accident, which took place at around half past midnight (2230 GMT Tuesday), spooked Italians still reeling from the Costa Concordia night-time shipwreck off Giglio island in January 2012 which left 32 people dead.
Rescue workers are concerned that more people may still be trapped in the tower. They are using dogs to find people to see if anyone is trapped under the rubble of the tower.
Around 3:30 am (0130 GMT), the Jolly Nero was moved away from the crash site and rescue services were frantically searching the area. An AFP photographer saw a boat manned by firefighters.
Genoa mayor Marco Doria said Italians were in mourning after this "very serious port accident which struck an entire city".
The Italian container ship is almost 200 metres (655 feet) long, 30 metres (98 feet) wide, and has a gross tonnage of over 40,500. It was bound for Naples.
The ship's owner, Stefano Messina, who arrived at the port soon after the crash, choked back tears as he told journalists: "We are all utterly shocked. Nothing like this has ever happened before, we are desperate."
Police have quarantined the ship and the captain has been detained for questioning. Prosecutors have opened an investigation and are going to work until they get to the bottom of the issue that caused this tragic accident.
The captain was quoted as saying: "Two engines seem to have failed and we lost control of the ship."
Have you or someone you know been involved in an accident recently? If you have, please contact a personal injury lawyer. Accident Attorney's Group at http://www.bestaccident-attorneys.com will assist you with your case by evaluating it for free.
The accident occurred during a shift change.
The tower at the port collapsed into the water with 14 people in it when the ship crashed into it. The tower bent 45 degrees and a huge chunk of it fell into the water. 10 people are believed to be missing in the busy waters of the port area. Six others were found to be seriously injured.
The accident, which took place at around half past midnight (2230 GMT Tuesday), spooked Italians still reeling from the Costa Concordia night-time shipwreck off Giglio island in January 2012 which left 32 people dead.
Rescue workers are concerned that more people may still be trapped in the tower. They are using dogs to find people to see if anyone is trapped under the rubble of the tower.
Around 3:30 am (0130 GMT), the Jolly Nero was moved away from the crash site and rescue services were frantically searching the area. An AFP photographer saw a boat manned by firefighters.
Genoa mayor Marco Doria said Italians were in mourning after this "very serious port accident which struck an entire city".
The Italian container ship is almost 200 metres (655 feet) long, 30 metres (98 feet) wide, and has a gross tonnage of over 40,500. It was bound for Naples.
The ship's owner, Stefano Messina, who arrived at the port soon after the crash, choked back tears as he told journalists: "We are all utterly shocked. Nothing like this has ever happened before, we are desperate."
Police have quarantined the ship and the captain has been detained for questioning. Prosecutors have opened an investigation and are going to work until they get to the bottom of the issue that caused this tragic accident.
The captain was quoted as saying: "Two engines seem to have failed and we lost control of the ship."
Have you or someone you know been involved in an accident recently? If you have, please contact a personal injury lawyer. Accident Attorney's Group at http://www.bestaccident-attorneys.com will assist you with your case by evaluating it for free.
