The accident happened at around 4.45 pm on Saturday. The fishing boat that tipped over was a hired boat. The two occupants, aged 43 and 45, fell into the water.
The crew of a sailing yacht observed the capsize and called for help on the radio. The DGzRS rescue control centre then alerted a rescue boat from the Freest station and the rescue cruiser from the Greifswalder Oie station. A rescue helicopter also flies to the scene of the accident. And the traffic control centre informed the Wolgast water police station, which sent a patrol boat to help.
The crew of the sailing yacht were able to rescue both men from the water before professional rescue teams arrived and set course for the harbour. And on the way there, the rescue helicopter waved medical personnel onto the sailing yacht, who took over the care. However, help came too late for one of the two anglers.
Futile rescue attempts
Despite immediate resuscitation measures, he died in the marina. The second man was taken to hospital with severe hypothermia. He survived the accident. The crew of the rescue cruiser towed the capsized fishing boat to a nearby harbour for further investigation into the cause of the accident.
The reason for the capsize is not yet known. The criminal investigation department of the Anklam police station and the Wolgast waterway police station have begun investigating the cause of death and the course of the accident. The Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation has also been informed about the accident.
Treacherous cold water
The tragic accident shows the extreme danger of cold water, especially now in spring, when air temperatures sometimes rise much faster than water temperatures. Anyone who falls into the cold water without protective clothing cools down much faster than in the cold wind. Sea rescuers regard water temperatures below 15 degrees Celsius as cold and below 10 degrees Celsius as very cold.
In his book "Medicine at Sea", the physician and sea rescuer Jens Kohfahl explains four phases that the organism goes through after falling into cold water. The first phase is the cold shock reaction. The body reacts to the cold stimulus with a deep breath, followed by hectic hyperventilation. The greatest danger is inhaling water and drowning. This phase lasts between one and three minutes.
Four phases of hypothermia
The second phase begins after about ten minutes. The cold causes a decline in nerve and muscle function. Kohfahl speaks of swimming failure. Fine motor skills become difficult even before this, after which the person can no longer keep afloat under their own steam.
The third phase is hypothermia. It sets in after about 30 minutes, depending on the water temperature and physical condition. The arms and legs cool down first, the blood vessels contract due to the cold stimulus and stress. The extremities are no longer sufficiently supplied with blood. If the core body temperature falls below 35 degrees, experts speak of hypothermia. The hypothermic person can survive for up to two hours at a water temperature of five degrees. A lifejacket with a spray cap is required to prevent fainting.
The fourth phase is the rescue collapse. The hypothermic crew member is only kept alive by a minimal circulatory system.
First aid on board
The first step after the rescue is an emergency call. Even if a person can be pulled back on board by the crew without outside help. "A crew member who has been in cold water for 30 minutes is considered hypothermic," says Kohfahl. If the rescued person is still responsive and shivering, this is a good sign. The first phase of hypothermia has only just begun.
Other maritime emergencies involving hypothermic persons:
In the second phase, the core body temperature drops to 32 to 28 degrees. The patient appears unconscious and no longer trembles. In the third phase, the patient is unconscious but still breathing. In the fourth phase, the core temperature has dropped to below 24 degrees. The patient is unconscious and has no heartbeat.
Laypersons should not waste time searching for the pulse, as even experts find it difficult to feel the slight pulse of a hypothermic person.
Proper supplies below deck
Ideally, the soaked clothing should be removed. For better manoeuvrability, the air is first released from the inflated lifejacket. To do this, the elongated bulge on the lid of the red mouthpiece is pressed into the valve from above and held. Below deck, the hypothermic sailor is placed on the saloon bench or on the floor if the ship is moving strongly.
The wet oilskin should not be cut. The jacket can be rolled up under the back, pulled over the head from behind and then the sleeves pulled off towards the feet. Pullovers and T-shirts can be cut open. Dab the patient with the towel, do not rub. The patient is warmed up in the so-called hypothermia wrap. A warm blanket is placed over the dried patient. A rescue sheet is placed over this and then another sleeping bag or other blankets.
Constant dialogue is important
The final step is a tarpaulin, a sail or another rescue sheet so that everything is protected from water. During this time, it is important that you are constantly spoken to, not to calm you down. On the contrary, the stress level should be kept high. Circulation-maintaining stress hormones such as adrenaline help.
"Stay with me! Don't sleep! It's not over yet!" If the hypothermic person relaxes too much, the weak circulation threatens to collapse for good. If the patient is conscious, hot tea can help. Hot water bottles help to warm up the patient, but must not be placed on bare skin. There is a risk of burns. Alcohol is forbidden. The substance dilates the blood vessels and causes blood pressure to drop dangerously. If the patient stops breathing, start resuscitation immediately.
Detailed information about hypothermia, but also how to effectively prevent going overboard, we reported in an earlier article (click here!).
Unfortunately, fishing boats capsize and the people on board fall into the cold water more frequently. It was only at the end of April that two anglers were hit on the Unterwarnow. Fortunately, the accident was not too serious for them. Only one of them suffered mild hypothermia. Both were quickly rescued by an official vessel and brought ashore, where they received further treatment from the rescue service.
Pascal Schürmann
Editor YACHT
