The number of missions for sailors by the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) has fallen. In the first ten months of this year, the rescuers had to set sail 614 times for sailors from dinghy to yacht crews, compared to 747 missions in 2021.
The most common reason by far was engines going on strike. The rescuers were called out 227 times (2021: 252) by sailors for this reason and they also made up the largest group by far, as the charts in the gallery show.
The second most common cause of rescue operations was grounding, and here too the sailors were clearly in the lead. However, they required very little assistance because they had drifted off.
The conclusions that sailors care less about their engines because they still have the sails as propulsion, that they can sail free better with their sails if they drift off or that they run aground more often because they have a large draught with a keel may seem obvious, but they cannot be deduced from the pure figures without knowing the respective circumstances of use.
Water sports also caused fewer DGzRS missions overall. The rescuers were called out exactly 965 times, compared to 1,155 times in 2021.
Human lives threatened more frequently
In 2022, 87 people had to be rescued from distress at sea. A further 285 (268) were rescued from danger. However, these figures do not just relate to sailors, but to the total number of missions. From January to October 2022, the crews of the 60 rescue cruisers and boats carried out 1,739 (1,865) missions. They helped a total of 3,108 (3,302) people. The rescuers were called out 8 times (6) for sailors who had fallen overboard.
The deployment figures in detail
- 87 (57) People rescued from distress at sea
- 285 (268) People freed from imminent danger
- 281 (239) times transported sick or injured people from sea-going vessels, islands or Halligen to the mainland
- 40 (34) Ships and boats saved from total loss
- 887 (1,010) Assistance provided for watercraft of all kinds
- 531 (581) Operational start-ups and safety runs completed
The regional distribution of operations
North Sea coast of Lower Saxony
In 520 (519) missions, 1,053 (858) people were helped. Of these, 30 (15) people were rescued from distress at sea and 54 (50) others were freed from dangerous situations.
Schleswig-Holstein North Sea coast
The sea rescuers were deployed 153 times (177) and helped 291 (206) people. Of these, 6 (4) people were rescued from distress at sea and 18 (15) others were freed from dangerous situations.
Schleswig-Holstein Baltic Sea coast
The sea rescuers were deployed 618 times (653) to help 936 (1,061) people. They rescued 39 (28) people from distress at sea and freed a further 114 (110) from dangerous situations.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Baltic Sea coast
The number of missions totalled 448 (516) for 828 (1,177) people. In the process, 12 (10) people were rescued from distress at sea and a further 99 (93) were freed from dangerous situations.
