CRUISE SHIP INVESTIGATION

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The captain of the cruise ship that rammed a sightseeing boat carrying South Korean tourists in Hungary, has been detained and is undergoing investigation. Now, speculation has been raised that two months ago, the same captain got into an accident while driving another cruise ship that collided with an oil tanker. With the speculation mounting over the captain's repeated offenses, even the Hungarian media is calling for strengthening investigation and confiscating the cruise ship.

[Pkg]

Rescue workers rush into a cruise ship. One of its sides has been ripped like a piece of paper, with large holes in it. The inside of the ship is also a mess. Its floor is covered with broken pieces and debris. This accident involving a cruise ship and an oil tanker in the Netherlands occurred back in April. Despite multiple warnings of a possible collision, the captain of the cruise ship continued to operate the vessel and eventually rammed the tanker. It has been found that the cruise ship involved in the accident was operated by the same company that oversees the Viking Sigyn, which collided with a sightseeing boat in Hungary a few days ago. What's more, Hungarian prosecutors said the captain of the cruise ship in question is the same Ukrainian national who caused the deadly sinking of the sightseeing boat. The captain allegedly caused a serious accident in Hungary just two months after causing a collision back in April, for which he was not held responsible in any way.

[Soundbite] (TV2 NEWS, HUNGARY) : "Just weeks after the accident in the Netherlands, the captain operated a hotel ship on the Danube River and caused the sinking of the Mermaid, which was carrying Korean tourists."

However, the operator of the cruise ship 'Viking Cruises' has denied prosecutors' accusations. The company said that although the Ukrainian captain was indeed on board the ship that got into an accident in April, he was not on duty at that ship during the time. Many in Hungary are calling for strengthening the investigation into the Ukrainian captain and the Viking Sigyn. Hungarian prosecutors added the captain of the Viking Sigyn had deleted all data from his mobile phone after the accident. In addition to repeated offenses, he is also facing the accusation of destroying evidence.