Cruise Ship with Over 200 People Runs Aground on the Danube near Romania–Bulgaria–Serbia Border

A cruise ship carrying more than 200 people ran aground near Gârla Mare (Mehedinți County, Romania), where the borders of Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia meet, reports Digi 24 TV.
The Danube’s flow in the area dropped to 2,600 m³/s, compared to the usual 3,800 m³/s for this time of year. The vessel, traveling from Turnu Măgurele to Vienna, had 180 passengers and 53 crew members.

Authorities provided supplies while awaiting water level stabilization.
This morning, as the river flow increased, the ship resumed its journey safely.

IDR Comment:

The event highlights the increasing vulnerability of navigation on the Danube due to unusually low water levels, especially along the Prahovo–Gârla Mare–Vidin section — now recording some of the lowest discharges in 15 years.
The Institute of Danube Research (IDD) stresses the need to:

-       strengthen hydrological monitoring and forecasting;

-       enhance coordination among port and waterway authorities in Romania, Bulgaria, and Serbia;

-       invest in regular dredging and early-warning navigation systems.

Such fluctuations affect not only navigation but also tourism and export logistics, calling for cross-border action within the EUSDR PA1a (Navigation) and ICPDR Water Resilience Initiative frameworks.