For reasons as yet unexplained, the wooden two-master "Tuulia II" sank in the Baltic Sea within sight of the shore on Saturday. A caller contacted the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) at around 1 pm. He had observed from shore that a ship had apparently started to sink near the Bülk lighthouse at the exit of the Kiel Fjord.
The sea rescuers deployed from three nearby stations and were directed to the scene of the accident by telephone by the caller on land. After 15 minutes, a rescue cruiser arrived at the scene of the accident. The rescuers found a 78-year-old man clinging on to the top of the day bed, which was still sticking out of the water. They took the hypothermic but otherwise uninjured man off the ship and brought him ashore in Schilksee harbour.
In the meantime, another crew member of the motorsailer was able to save himself on the nearby shore. Attentive kayakers had observed the accident and rushed to the aid of the sailor, who was swimming in five-degree water. It is not known why he abandoned the ship and left his fellow sailor behind.
The two men were treated ashore by the rescue service for hypothermia. The sea rescuers secured the ship. The cause of the sinking is not yet known and the Kiel water police are now investigating the case.
This is the second sinking of the former shrimp cutter "Tuula II" in just over six months. As the "Eckernförder Zeitung" reported, it first took on water in Eckernförde harbour in September last year, shortly after the current owner bought it. Assumptions were made about the cause of the water ingress at the time, but it remained unclear. The owner then refurbished the ship over the winter and on Saturday it was travelling from Eckernförde to Travemünde.
You can find out how to quickly find and seal a leak in the event of a sudden water ingress in in this article (click here) read more. The current YACHT season start special also provides further tips for safe winterising.
