Distress at sea: Accidents in the Weser and Elbe - motorboat and traditional ship in great danger

Dramatic rescue on the Outer Weser: Former pilot transfer boat was in danger of sinking

Two Dutch motorboat drivers found their lives in acute danger on the Outer Weser on Saturday afternoon, 31 January 2026. Their 16.4 metre long former pilot transfer boat sprung a leak and threatened to sink. In icy temperatures and water one degree cold, sinking the boat would have been fatal. The DGzRS sea rescuers saved the men at the last minute.

Water ingress near the island of Mellum

At around 2.50 p.m., the Dutch people made an emergency call and reported rising water in the boat and a faulty bilge pump. At the time, the former pilot transfer boat was in the Outer Weser, roughly at the level of the uninhabited island of Mellum. The crew tried to head for Bremerhaven under their own steam - but the situation deteriorated rapidly.

The Bremerhaven rescue cruiser set course for the distressed vessel at top speed. Around 45 minutes later, the sea rescuers reached the distressed motorboat and went alongside. When one of the sea rescuers went over, he was confronted with a dramatic sight: there was already half a metre of water in the ship. The situation was critical - in the prevailing conditions, sinking could have been fatal for the two Dutchmen. The air temperature was minus one degree Celsius and the water temperature was only around one degree Celsius. At the time of the operation, there were south-easterly winds of four Beaufort and a wave height of around 0.75 metres.

Leak suddenly increases in size

The sea rescuers initially brought the water ingress under control with their own pump. But then the situation worsened again dramatically: suddenly the leak in the hull increased in size and large quantities of water broke in. The boat was now in serious danger of sinking. One of the sea rescuers on board the distressed vessel had the presence of mind to plug the leak with a plug so that it was largely covered for the time being. This quick intervention saved the boat from sinking.

The rescue cruiser towed the 16.4 metre long motorboat safely to Bremerhaven under constant steering. There, the two Dutchmen were able to disembark unharmed.

Traditional sailing ship "Ethel von Brixham" wrecks off Cuxhaven - crew rescued in dramatic action

Another accident occurred on the same day in the Outer Elbe, where the 135-year-old traditional sailing ship "Ethel von Brixham" ran aground on the causeway off Cuxhaven. As the historic wooden ship threatened to break apart and water was seeping in, four sailors and a dog were pulled from the ship at the last minute. The fate of the traditional ship is uncertain.

Overpass cruise ends on the causeway

It was supposed to be a transfer voyage from Brunsbüttel to Den Helder in the Netherlands. However, at around 12.15 p.m. on Saturday, 31 January 2026, the "Ethel von Brixham" ran aground at buoy 29 on the causeway off Cuxhaven - around 1.4 nautical miles away from the striking Kugelbake. The rescue cruiser from the DGzRS station in Cuxhaven deployed immediately.

The sea rescuers attempted to tow the 30-metre-long schooner free with its flat-bottomed daughter boat. In vain: the wooden schooner was already too firmly attached to the stones of the dam. As no water ingress was initially detected, the crew and sea rescuers decided to make another attempt to tow the schooner free at the next high tide around midnight.

The situation escalates

The situation worsened dramatically as the water rose. At around 9 p.m., the crew reported a water ingress and put the on-board bilge pumps into operation. In consultation with the sea rescuers, the sailors initially stuck to their plan to wait out the high tide.

At around 10.30 p.m., the multi-purpose vessel "Neuwerk" from the Elbe-North Sea Waterways and Shipping Office offered assistance and set course for the stricken vessel. A workboat initially took a crew member and a dog on board. During this manoeuvre, the skipper was confronted with a disturbing sight: The keel of the wooden schooner, built in 1890, was already bulging. The historic ship was threatening to break apart.

When one of the bilge pumps on board failed almost simultaneously, the situation deteriorated dramatically. For safety reasons, the crew and rescuers decided to evacuate the boat completely. The "Neuwerk" workboat took the remaining crew members on board and brought them safely to Cuxhaven. Meanwhile, the rescue cruiser remained on standby at the scene and illuminated the scene.

Minus three degrees Celsius, a water temperature of only two degrees and a biting five Beaufort from the south-east made it difficult to rescue the crew.

A ship with an eventful history

The "Ethel of Brixham" looks back on 135 years of history. The schooner was launched in Brixham, southern England, in 1890. Designed for tough fishing under sail between the North Sea and the Bay of Biscay, she came to Norway in the 1920s as a fishing and cargo ship.

In 1981, she was transferred to Germany and re-rigged as a staysail schooner. After further modifications in 2011, she once again has the characteristic gaff schooner rigging. In 1997, she was the subject ship in the film adaptation of Günter Grass' novel "Die Rättin" - and in the north she is known from the Kieler Woche and other maritime festivals.

28 years under Gerhard Bialek

Since 1996, the "Ethel" has belonged to Gerhard Bialek from Kiel. The now 69-year-old gave up his career in the automotive industry to turn his hobby into a profession. With its characteristic red hull, the traditional ship was moored at the Blücherbrücke in Kiel for decades and became an unmissable part of the traditional ship fleet there.

Bialek offered sailing trips on the Baltic Sea and spent around 120 days a year at sea. "It was the beginning of a great love," he said in an interview in 2024. A highlight in 2023 was the leading role in the Guy Ritchie war film "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare" - Bialek spent 98 days filming with his ship in Turkey.

However, the increased legal requirements for traditional ships made it impossible for Bialek to continue operating the ship. "I'm losing the centre of my life," he admitted contritely when he made it public in October 2024 that the "Ethel" was up for sale. His biggest concern: the threat of the ship being scrapped if no buyer could be found.

New hope - and now an uncertain future

This concern seemed unfounded when the "Ethel" found new owners and set off for the North Sea. After further modifications in 2011, she once again has the characteristic gaff schooner rigging. However, on 6 October 2025, she was already in danger of sinking after taking on water in Brunsbüttel harbour. The fire brigade was able to prevent an accident with pumps. An oil barrier was set up for safety. According to later reports, the water ingress was caused by heavy rainfall and the failure of a pump. The ship was moved to Cuxhaven and drained there.

What will happen to the wrecked historic schooner is currently unclear. AIS data shows the status "Aground" - stranded. The owner and the relevant authorities must decide whether the "Ethel of Brixham" can be salvaged or will be a total loss.

Kiel-based charter entrepreneur Matthias Milau knows the traditional ship and its previous owners well. He writes movingly in a Facebook post: "Over the past ten years, I have often been able to accompany the 'Ethel' on numerous trips with our customers." He remembers the previous owner: "His briefings were legendary - the way he picked up the customers and got them excited about the ship was what gave the 'Ethel' her true soul."

Milau draws a gloomy parallel: "This is now the second time that a traditional ship from the Kiel Fjord, to which I had a connection, has been wrecked shortly after being sold." He thinks of the shark cutter "Gefion" from Laboe, which also crashed and was eventually scrapped at the harbour pier in Rødbyhavn. "It feels as if the protective spirit has disappeared with the change of ownership."

It would be a bitter loss for maritime tradition. After 135 years at sea, after countless fishing trips, cargo voyages and sailing voyages, the eventful history of the "Ethel von Brixham" could end on a causeway off Cuxhaven.

A Facebook post shows pictures of the damaged schooner: