The morning in the west of Moscow turned into a tragedy for two water sports enthusiasts. A canoe with two passengers fell under the rotating propellers of a river tram near the Fili pier. The signal about the incident was received by emergency services at 08:53, after which rescue teams immediately went to the scene.
Despite the rapid deployment of search and rescue operations, one of the people in the canoe could not be saved. The body was recovered from the water and handed over to experts to establish the identity and cause of death. The second victim, who was pulled from the river earlier, is in intensive care: doctors assess his condition as serious but stable.
According to preliminary data, the small boat was dangerously close to a maneuvering passenger ship, which was reversing at that moment. The collision occurred rapidly: the propeller blades touched the fragile hull of the canoe, and both people ended up in the icy water of the Moscow River. One of the victims managed to get ashore on his own.
River trams plying the routes of the Moscow River are equipped with powerful propulsion systems, the affected area around which during reversing maneuvers reaches several meters. Canoes, being a light rowing boat without an engine and means of radio communication, are practically invisible to pilots of large vessels, especially in conditions of morning haze or glare on the water.