At 11.30 a.m., an emergency call reached the DGzRS Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Bremen: A motorboat with a family of three on board was in danger of sinking on the Outer Weser. The skipper transmitted "Mayday" via the international emergency and call channel VHF 16 - a clear signal for an acutely life-threatening situation at sea. The boat, which was around ten metres long, was about five nautical miles north-east of the bird sanctuary island of Mellum when, for unknown reasons, the water broke in.
Quick help from fishermen
The rescue coordination centre responded immediately and alerted the rescue cruisers "Hermann Rudolf Meyer" from Bremerhaven and "Bernhard Gruben" from Hooksiel. At the same time, four nearby fishing boats were asked for assistance. The fishermen, some of whom had already heard the distress call, immediately made their way to the stricken boat.
The first fishing boats reached the motorboat in distress just half an hour after the distress call. With additional bilge pumps provided by two of the fishing boats, the water ingress was brought under control. This rapid assistance was crucial in preventing the boat from sinking. The crews of the fishing cutters "Triton", "Odin" and "Magellan" from Greetsiel and "Erika" from Norddeich made a significant contribution to rescuing the family.
The two rescue cruisers arrived at the scene of the accident at 12.30 pm. The "Hermann Rudolf Meyer" went alongside the stricken boat. On board were the father, mother and their five-year-old daughter, who were doing well under the circumstances. The rescue cruiser took the boat in tow.
The rescue operation went off without incident. After a journey lasting several hours, the sea rescuers reached Bremerhaven safely with the castaways. The operation was successfully completed at 4.45 pm.
Weather conditions during use
At the time of the operation, southerly winds with a force of four Beaufort prevailed on the Outer Weser, which corresponds to wind speeds of up to 28 kilometres per hour. The wave height was around 0.75 metres. Although these conditions presented a challenge, they were manageable for experienced sailors.
