A number of people fell into the North Sea Canal after a collision between boats

Two boats collided last night on the North Sea Canal near Assendelft. Several people fell into the water.

The accident happened near the Buitenhuizen ferry. There were nine people on board in total. They were safely removed from the water and examined by the ambulance service.

One of the pleasure boats involved sank after the accident. The port authority is looking for this with sonar equipment.

As a result of the accident, ferry traffic between Assendelft and Spaarndam was temporarily suspended. The ferry is now sailing again.

The North Sea Canal runs from the North Sea at IJmuiden to the IJ in Amsterdam and is a busy shipping route. Not only does shipping traffic to the port of Amsterdam use the canal, which opened in 1876, pleasure boats and inland shipping also use the route.