Three people were injured on Wednesday when a passenger ship crashed into a lock gate on the Moselle River near St Aldegund, forcing the structure out of service.

A passenger ship collided with a lock gate on the Moselle River near St Aldegund, close to Cochem, on Wednesday, leaving three people injured.

According to police in Rhineland-Palatinate, the ship struck a gate of the lock but was able to reverse after the accident. However, the damage is significant enough that the lock is currently out of service.

German Federal Minister for Transport Patrick Schnieder said every effort is being made to reopen the passage as quickly as possible.

This incident comes just months after another ship hit the Müden lock in December 2024, which disrupted shipping traffic on the Moselle for more than two months.