HUNGARY BOAT CRASH CONTROVERSY

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In Hungary, the captain of the Viking Sigyn cruise ship that hit the Hableany tourist boat is under investigation. A new claim has emerged that the captain suddenly changed course when he was supposed to travel straight ahead, and that this had led to the deadly crash.

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In this footage, the Viking Sigyn cruise ship is seen abruptly turning to the right close to a bridge. And it was after this point that the cruise ship rammed into the smaller tourist boat that was traveling ahead, causing it to sink. Some experts say making such an abrupt turn is prohibited near the Margaret Bridge where the accident took place. A seasoned captain with 30 years of navigation experience on the Danube said that only a straight path is allowed in that section of the river.

[Soundbite] (CAPTAIN WITH 30-YR CAREER ON DANUBE) : "Vessels must only go straight in that particular area and keep a distance from the two bridge piers while passing through. Changing direction is not allowed."

This area is where two streams of the river converge and the presence of a bridge makes navigation even more difficult. It's said to be common sense that ships do not change course just before passing under the bridge. These arguments further accentuate suspected carelessness on the part of the cruise ship captain as the area in question requires extreme caution due to many reefs and strong vortices. Hungarian law enforcement officials are looking into the captain's possible negligence by analyzing data including radio communications. Hungary has also asked for cooperation from the Netherlands where the captain was involved in a crash with an oil tanker two months ago.

[Soundbite] CSECSI SOMA(SPOKESPERSON FOR BUDAPEST POLICE HEADQUARTERS) : "Our goal is to conclude the probe in the near future. Investigation by experts will also be conducted thoroughly."

Hungarian authorities are also conducting an around-the-clock search spanning a 215-kilometer stretch of the Danube reaching all the way to the Serbian border area in efforts to find the three Korean victims still missing.