The Latest: Body of 13th victim recovered from sunken boat

By Associated Press 05 June 2019, 12:00AM

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — The Latest on the sunken tour boat in Hungary's capital (all times local):

11:05 a.m.

Hungarian rescue officials say that another body has been recovered from a sunken tour boat in the Danube River.

Officials said the body was found Wednesday by divers in Budapest checking the wreck's condition ahead of its possible retrieval with a floating crane. No further details about the deceased were released.

The death toll now stands at 13, with 15 mostly South Koreans still missing.

Only seven people are known to have survived when the Hableany (Mermaid), collided with a river cruise ship a week ago. It capsized and sank in about seven seconds.

Seven of the 13 victims were found in the immediate aftermath of the accident. Since Monday, three bodies have been recovered from the sunken boat or near the scene of the accident at Margit Bridge and three were found much further south, including one recovered 132 kilometers (82 miles) downstream from Budapest.

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9:50 a.m.

Hungary's state media say a huge floating crane that could lift a sunken sightseeing boat out of the Danube River is on its way to the accident site in Budapest.

Meanwhile, the confirmed death toll from last week's accident rose to 12, as police said Wednesday that a male body recovered far downstream was of one of the 33 South Korean tourists aboard the Hableany (Mermaid), when it collided with a river cruise ship, capsizing and sinking in about seven seconds.

Seven people were rescued and 16, including the two Hungarian crew members, remain missing.

Recovery efforts have been slowed by the Danube's fast flow, typically high springtime water levels and near-zero visibility underwater.

The floating crane, which can lift 200 tons, may reach Budapest by Wednesday afternoon.

By Associated Press 05 June 2019, 12:00AM

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