Accident: "Sharki" (ex-"Rubin") salvaged

Yesterday afternoon, the Polish-flagged "Sharki", which sank in the Elbe estuary off Cuxhaven, was successfully salvaged and the entire fairway around the scene of the accident was reopened to traffic. Using divers and two tugs, the yacht was raised from the bottom and towed to Cuxhaven. The ship is expected to be lifted ashore there this Friday. This was announced yesterday evening by the Cuxhaven Waterways and Shipping Office.

The rapid salvage of the wreck had become necessary because the position of the sunken ship had changed in the course of Wednesday. Mike Brodhagen, who is responsible for shipping traffic at WSA Cuxhaven, explains: "An initial investigation of the scene of the accident with the multi-purpose vessel Neuwerk and the sounding vessel Grimmershörn on the morning of 12 August revealed that the 'Sharki' was lying flat on the ground. During the course of the day, however, the sunken ship righted itself again so that the mast was sticking out of the water. As a result, the initial assessment of the danger situation changed: The 'Sharki' was lying in the deep part of the fairway that large ships rely on, and the upright mast posed a significant danger to shipping traffic."

Shipping traffic on the Elbe had to be diverted around the scene of the accident by the Cuxhaven traffic centre. At the same time, WSA Cuxhaven commissioned a local salvage company to salvage the wreck. This was necessary because the ship owner could not be expected to act in time due to the specific hazardous situation.

The sailing yacht sank in the night of 11 to 12 August in the Outer Elbe between Cuxhaven and the island of Neuwerk. All the people on board the stricken sailing yacht were rescued by the DGzRS. The exact course of the accident is currently being investigated by the water police. According to initial findings, it cannot be ruled out that the sinking of the ship was caused by a collision with a buoy.

The Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (WSV) is responsible for the safety and ease of shipping traffic on federal waterways and for the condition of federal waterways for shipping traffic. This also includes the removal of obstructions if they pose a danger to the aforementioned areas. The Cuxhaven Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA) is locally responsible for the Lower Elbe from St. Margarethen to the North Sea.