Tourist ship runs aground in Russian reservoir, briefly stranding almost 300 foreign visitors

A four-deck riverboat cruising Russia’s Volga river briefly ran aground in low water in the Rybinsk reservoir. It was carrying 292 foreign tourists.

The ‘Viking Helgi’ operates 14-day voyages on the Volga and its tributaries, departing from Moscow and St. Petersburg. On Monday, the boat became mired for a short time in low water on the Rybinsk reservoir, roughly halfway between the two cities.

292 passengers are said to be aboard the ship, along with 100 crew. Emergency services told Russian news agencies that no one was hurt during the brief accident.

According to local emergency services, the ship grounded itself as a result of a steering malfunction. However, the problem was quickly addressed and the vessel continued its journey several minutes later.

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