The cruise ship's owner, MSC Cruises, said the vessel was about to dock at a passenger terminal in Venice when it had a mechanical problem. Two tugboats guiding the cruise ship into Venice tried to stop the MSC Opera, but they were unable to prevent it from ramming into the riverboat.
Umnikazi wesikebhe, iMSC Cruises, uthe lo mkhumbi ubusuzokuma esikhumulweni sabagibeli eVenice uma kubonakala ukuthu imishini  yawo inenkinga. Izikebhe ezimbili ezihudula isikebhe esiya eVenice zizamile ukumisa iMSC Opera, kepha azange zikwazi ukuyivimba ukuthi ingangeni esikebheni ishayise isikebhe esincane esihamba emfuleni.