Over a dozen people have been injured in watertaxi crash in Antwerp which took place as the boat attempted to dock amid harsh weather conditions.
The incident took place just before 6:00 AM on Monday, as the watertaxi arrived at the left bank of the River Scheldt, when it bumped hard against the wharf.
Gert Ickx, representative of the Port of Antwerp, said in a radio interview that the accident had taken place in "bad" weather conditions on the water.
"The wind was strong and there was a lot of current, moreover, it was still dark," she said on Radio 2, describing the conditions in which the vessel had attempted to dock in the Sint-Anna stop.
The federal police confirmed that the 14 people were taken from the ship and transported to the hospital and that none of them was in critical condition, according to HLN.
According to the outlet, almost all passengers were injured in the crash, with most suffering facial or neck injuries after being catapulted into the seat in front of them as a result of the blow.
The vessel was also badly damaged as a result of the crash, which made a large hole on its hull but which reportedly does not put the boat at risk of sinking.
The crash severely disrupted the watertaxi schedules in Antwerp, with users being advised on Monday not to take the service connecting the two banks of the city.
Gabriela Galindo
The Brussels Times
