Nile River Cruise Collision Near Esna Lock Claims Passenger’s Life
A collision between two Nile river cruise vessels near Egypt’s Esna Lock on December 21 resulted in the death of a passenger, raising fresh concerns over safety on the busy Nile route between Luxor and Aswan. According to The Maritime Telegraph, the accident occurred in a narrow and heavily regulated stretch of the river used daily by multiple cruise ships.
The incident took place at around 8:00 p.m. local time, about 1.2 miles from the Esna Lock. The cruise ship Royal Beau Rivage, travelling south, struck the riverboat Opera, which was moving in the opposite direction after clearing the lock.
Egypt’s General Authority for River Transport said the Royal Beau Rivage carried out a sudden manoeuvre that caused the collision. The impact damaged the bow of the Opera and seriously affected several forward cabins on board the cruise ship.
A 47-year-old Italian tourist on the Royal Beau Rivage sustained critical injuries and later died in hospital. No other passengers or crew members were seriously injured. Local Egyptian media reported that emergency services responded quickly and evacuated passengers as a precaution.
River authorities reminded operators that Nile navigation rules give priority to vessels travelling with the current. Investigators concluded these rules were breached. The captain of the Royal Beau Rivage had his licence suspended, and the case was referred to the general prosecutor.
River traffic near the Esna Lock was briefly suspended following the collision but resumed the next day after safety inspections.
