Originally published on August 18, 2013

A 50-year-old German tourist was killed in a tragic gondola accident that took place in the Grand Canal of Venice, Italy on Saturday.

According to Venice's fire brigade, the man appeared to have been crushed to death between a water bus and a gondola near the Rialto bridge. Meanwhile, his 3-year-old daughter also suffered injuries to her head and face in the accident. She was sent to hospital in Padua for treatment.

The man was reportedly riding in a gondola with his wife and their three children before the accident. At the Rialto bridge, a 'vaporetto', or water bus, was either docking or leaving the stop when it crashed into the gondola, throwing the entire family into the water, with the father landing in the water between the two boats. The Venice fire chief said the driver of the water bus apparently did not see the gondola, with some reports saying the force of the impact split the smaller vessel in half.

"I am really sad after what has happened," Venice mayor Giorgio Orsoni said.

An investigation has been launched into the accident.
The congested waterways of Venice have long been a point of concern for city authorities, as the large amount of water traffic has become a safety hazard, particularly during the times of the year when the city is flooded with tourists.

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