Cruise Ship Accident Lawyer Blog
MIAMI, FL— July 14, 2011 – The death toll in the Russian riverboat accident that occurred along the Volga River has risen from 55 confirmed deaths to 104 deaths, 20 of whom were children. The Moscow Times reported that the recent boat sinking is being regarded as the worst on record in the past three decades.
According to the Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations, it took only three minutes for the seemingly corroded ship “Bulgaria” to sink with 208 people on board, 58 more than the maximum passenger capacity permits. Search and rescue missions continue for 25 victims that remained missing and were feared dead following the river disaster.
As of July 13, 95 of the victims who died in the ship accident had been identified. While a crew member that survived the ship wreck argued that the boat capsized as a result of a two-meter wave, the Federal Meteorological Service contested such allegations, maintaining that the waves were not that high and could not have caused such a catastrophe.
Meanwhile, two people have been arrested and charged in connection with the Russian boating accident. Those two people included Svetlana Inyakina, the manager of the company that rented the ship out, as well as Yakov Ivashov, a senior inspector employed by the River Register’s local office. The River Register is the government agency responsible for upholding safety within the river transport industry.
According to the Miami cruise ship injury attorneys of Gerson & Schwartz, it is often difficult to hold ship owners liable for negligent acts that can pose dangers to both passengers and ship workers. To prevent future accidents from occurring and causing harm to passengers and crew members alike, changes must be made to the river transport and cruise ship industries.
About the Miami cruise ship injury lawyers and boat accident attorneys of Gerson & Schwartz, P.A.
With four decades of experience litigating the multifaceted personal injury and wrongful death claims of boat and cruise line passengers who are hurt or assaulted onboard, the knowledgeable Florida boating accident lawyers of Gerson & Schwartz are dedicated to protecting the rights of these individuals and fighting to provide them with the compensation they deserve. Working closely with the National Center for Victims of Crime, the Miami personal injury attorneys of Gerson & Schwartz, P.A. strive to provide justice to individuals who suffer serious injuries in a wide variety of boating accidents.