Preparations for Danube boat accident 1st anniversary

One year after the Danube river-cruise disaster which killed at least 26 South Korean tourists, the head of the diving team that recovered the bodies has been recalling the operation.

The Hableany (Mermaid) went down by the Margit bridge in Budapest, near Hungary's parliament building.

Two Hungarian crew members also died, and the remains of another South Korean tourist have yet to be found.

The Hableany was from the Danube by a huge floating crane on 11 June 2019, with divers from South Korea assisting their Hungarian colleagues in recovering several bodies that were still aboard the sunken tour boat.

Janos Vigh, 60, was the diving supervisor whose eight-member team worked to recover the bodies and attach a harness to the vessel so it could be brought up to the surface.

Vigh said the operation was hampered by high water levels. the fast flow of the waves, and near-zero underwater visibility.

"The water was flowing at four meters per second (13 ft/s) which is like having to stay upright in hurricane winds of 200 kilometers per hour (124 mph)," he said.

"So the diver could only get through it by taking cover behind the wreck."

Memorial events to commemorate the anniversary of the tragedy are due to take place on Friday.