According to NDR, the two ships collided shortly after 6 p.m. near the Köhlbrand Bridge. The mooring boat had nothing to oppose the heavy pushed convoy. Mooring boats are so small that they are only operated by one or a maximum of two crew members - it was so badly damaged that it sank immediately. These boats are used to transport the heavy towlines between freighters and the quay.
The fire brigade, DLRG and police were deployed at the scene of the accident for hours on Wednesday evening with divers, boats, drones and a helicopter. According to the fire brigade, the search was extended from the Köhlbrand to the main stream of the Elbe. The shore areas were also searched. The wreck was located at a depth of 16 metres, but there was no trace of the skipper for the time being.
Localisation easier thanks to emergency transmitter
At least the scene of the accident could be precisely localised. The mooring boat had an emergency transmitter on board that could be located. A police helicopter and drones with thermal imaging cameras were deployed to try and find the skipper after all. All to no avail in the evening. The search was called off shortly after 10 p.m., partly because the current made the operation too dangerous for the divers.
At dawn, the wreck near the Köhlbrand Bridge is to be salvaged. The skipper of the towboat, which was only a few metres long, was still missing until then. The police announced that it was unlikely that the skipper could be rescued alive. During the recovery of the sunken ship, it will be checked whether the body of the missing person is inside.
Mooring boat and body recovered
On Thursday morning (8 February), there was finally clarity: the sunken mooring boat, also known as the Mooring Tug, was salvaged by a specialised salvage company. During the further search for the ship, the emergency services found a male body. The body was then taken by an ambulance crew to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification. The results are not yet available. Further investigations into the matter are being conducted by the Hamburg Waterway Police (WSPK 1) in co-operation with the State Office of Criminal Investigation (LKA 414), which is responsible for death investigations.
Cause of accident unclear
How the collision came about is now being investigated. However, the sunken boat was so small that a major environmental impact from leaking oil is not to be expected.
Anyone who can provide information about the circumstances of the accident or has made any other observations in this connection is asked to call the police information hotline on 040 4286 56789 or report to a police station.
More about distress at sea:
Jan-Ole Puls
Editor Test & Technology
