About 180 elderly people who were on the road with the Zonnebloem have been stuck for hours in the lock at Andel. One of the lock doors no longer opened and closed because pieces of wood were lying against the door. As a result, the lock no longer worked. While waiting, the travelers received a croquette sandwich from tour company De Zilvermeeuw.
The elderly had left Drimmelen on Monday morning for a trip on party ship Z9 of the company Zilvermeeuw. Around an hour the boat got stuck in the lock. The travelers had to wait for the boat ever since. “They couldn’t get off the boat,” says director Adriaan Schuller of the Herring Gull. “As soon as we can sail again, we will no longer go to Drimmelen, but to another place where we moor. Then people can get off the boat earlier and be taken home by bus.”
Because there was no food on board the boat, the Herring Gull had some food delivered during the long wait. “Fortunately, the weather is good and we brought them a nice croquette sandwich,” says Schuller.
A diving company investigated the cause of the malfunction and removed the pieces of wood from the door. The boat was able to sail again just before five o’clock.
More stones in front of the door
According to Rijkswaterstaat, it is more common for stones or pieces of wood to block a lock gate. This is because stones or wood can be dragged along in the current when large ships pass by. Unfortunately, such things cannot be prevented, according to the spokesperson.
Biesbosch
It is not the first time that a trip of the Zonnebloem has come to a temporary halt. Almost a year ago, 225 people on board in the Biesbosch had to be evacuated after a small fire broke out on the ship. That went without any problems.
READ ALSO: Fire on tour boat in the Biesbosch: 225 people evacuated