Italy Ship Crash into Control Tower Leaves Three Dead

The crash of a container ship named the Jolly Nero into a control tower at the port of Genoa has left at least three people dead and several missing in the early hours of Wednesday.

The tower was said to have crashed into the water after the hit. Although, there weren’t an accurate number of people who were in the tower, witnesses put the number at 10 to 14 people.

A search operation is underway for survivors in the waters around the towers, while some victims have been rushed to the hospital. The cause of the collision has yet to be identified.

An investigation has begun into the incident, as the authorities have had the ship impounded and the captain taken in for interrogation.

“We are all utterly shocked. Nothing like this has ever happened before, we are desperate”, the ship owner Stefano Messina told journalists in tears. He arrived at the port immediately he got news of the tragic incident.

According to reports, the Jolly Nero is almost 240 metres long, 30 metres wide and weighs 40,500 tonnes. Owned by the Italian firm Ignazio Messina & Co., it was leaving the port with the help of tugboats in calm condition before the crash.

Port Authority and the Coast Guard staffs were in the tower working at the time of the crash. It is not clear if those still missing were in the sea, or trapped under the debris.