Steering problems caused river cruise crash
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A river cruise boat that crashed on the Thames, injuring nine tourists, had steering problems, according to a report into the accident.
Also, the 69-year-old man at the helm of City Cruises’ Millennium Time did not hold a boatmaster’s licence.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said he found it difficult to keep the boat on a steady heading before it hit a tug between Waterloo and Blackfriars bridges last July.
MAIB said that since the accident, City Cruises had replaced its steering systems.
The nine injured passengers suffered cuts and bruises. In total, there were 362 passengers onboard.
At the time of the accident, the boat’s master was providing a sightseeing commentary so he wasn’t supervising the mate at the helm, said the report. The employment of the mate as a helmsmen went against the instructions of City Cruises.
The investigation also found the crew thought they were carrying 60 more passengers than were actually on the boat at the time of the collission.
It took more than a month to repair Millennium Time, and MAIB said City Cruises had replaced its steering systems and those of other rival vessels in its fleet.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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