2023-08-07 18:33:00
The divers had started the search in the early evening, when a tidal movement of the river made it possible to probe the shipwrecked barge.
“The strong current made it impossible to continue the rescue operation, so the search might only be carried out for a short period of time. At around 6 p.m., the diving operations and search were interrupted before might give a result,” said the emergency services.
The 50-meter barge, loaded with bricks, sank around 10:45 a.m. on Monday. The boat was then stabilized using a floating pontoon. A boatman, originally from Charleroi, is missing. The reasons for the sinking remain unknown for the moment.
River traffic is interrupted at the accident site. Navigation on the Scheldt has been suspended by the Flemish Waterways Agency (Vlaamse Waterweg) until Tuesday 10:00 a.m. Pleasure and commercial craft criss-cross the Scheldt. Usually, some 450 barges travel the river during a month, the agency said. It will examine on Tuesday whether river traffic can resume.
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