Low Danube water strands Swiss-flagged cruise ship near Vidin, Bulgaria

Around 02:20 a.m. local time on July 28, the Swiss-flagged cruise ship Viking Ullur grounded on the Danube River near Vidin, Bulgaria, after the river’s level dropped to a point that hindered navigation. The vessel, which runs a regular route linking Budapest with Romanian ports, was carrying 186 passengers, all EU citizens, and 52 crew members. Bulgarian interior ministry officials attributed the mishap to low water levels and limited visibility during the early-morning hours.

Border police deployed a speedboat to evacuate the passengers and crew, completing the operation before dark. A second ship chartered by the shipping agent was unable to reach the grounded vessel, and the cruise ship was also nearing a shortage of drinking water. The incident reflects the broader impact of recent heatwaves that have lowered water levels across the Danube, affecting transport on Europe’s second-longest river.