Boat crashes into drilling platform at Rotterdam port; One overboard, presumed dead

One person is presumed dead after a boat crashed into a drilling platform in the Botlek at the port of Rotterdam. The person fell into the water in the collision. Fire brigade diving teams searched for him, but to no avail, the regional office for the emergency services, RijnmondVeilig, said.

The accident happened at the second working port in the Botlek around 11:30 a.m. Maintenance work is happening in the port on installations for the offshore industry, a spokesperson for RijnmondVeilig told ANP. People were working on scaffolding hanging from the drilling platform. One person fell into the water when a work ship hit the scaffolding.

Emergency services responded with several diving teams, an underwater drone, and sonar equipment to search for the person who fell into the water. They searched with great urgency because the victim’s chances of survival decreased rapidly in the icy water, but it was to no avail.

At 1:07 p.m., the regional safety office reported that the divers had stopped searching without finding the victim. “Unfortunately, the emergency services had to decide to switch the rescue mission to a recovery mission,” the Rijnmondveilig said. A police team will search for the victim’s body and investigate how the accident happened.