Crane crashes down after being hit by container ship in Belgium

A crane collapsed in the port of Antwerp, Belgium, after being hit by a container ship that drifted from its secure point.

The container ship came loose from its secure point and hit the crane on Monday, December 9, 2019. The incident occurred in the port of Waasland which is part of Antwerp’s port, Europe’s second largest seaport, after Rotterdam. 

The crane crashed down into the port, fortunately, resulting in no injuries as there were no people around at that time. The area around the accident was evacuated and works were paused.

The 328-meter long ship (APL Mexico City), that was built in 2014, drifted from its mooring due to strong winds (reaching up to 75 km/h) that hit the port of Antwerp. Local authorities attempted to change the vessel's course but they were unable to prevent the disaster. "We saw the ship make a strange and sudden movement. We did not hesitate and immediately sent tugboats and a pilot boat to the ship," the VTS Vessel Traffic Service officer on duty, stated.

Eventually, officials managed to control and secure the container ship with the utilization of many tugboats. The vessel suffered critical structural damage and repair works are needed before it is operational again. On the contrary, the crane was completely destroyed.

Strong winds have also caused additional issues to the port's operations. A few days before the crane collapse, one of the port's buses was blown by the wind hitting a building and causing 12 injuries. 

Another ship was also at the risk of drifting, however, officials took precautionary measures and sent a tugboat to hold it in place.

Click the video below to watch the stunning moment the ship collides with the crane and the following collapse of the structure.