The DGzRS station on Norderney received a mayday call shortly after 6 pm. The rescue cruiser "Hans Hackmack" stationed on Norderney was in Norddeich on a supply trip at the time. It cast off immediately, reports the DGzRS. The MRCC Bremen had also received the distress call and made contact with the shipwrecked people.
The man and woman from the Netherlands had run aground on a sandbank with their sailing boat south of the Schluchter fairway, where a fairway buoy is currently missing. Their boat was then washed over by the surf.
A nearby fishing boat and two Frisia ferries immediately offered their assistance. However, due to their draught, the vessels were unable to reach the stranded ship and come to the aid of the shipwrecked.
The man and the woman launched their life raft, but it tore loose in the swell and drifted away. In the meantime, the rescue cruiser had already spotted the distressed vessel in the caldera. The two Dutchmen on board were asked by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre to stay on their stranded ship for as long as possible. The ship had already laid on its side.
From the " Hans Hackmack ", the sea rescuers watched as the shipwrecked people entered the water a few minutes before they arrived. Despite the strong current, the sailors were able to stay in the water near the wreck until the rescue cruiser's daughter boat arrived. The daughter boat itself had to withstand heavy grounding in the surf on the sandbank. Nevertheless, the sea rescuers managed to pull the shipwrecked men through the rescue gate into the daughter boat.
On board the "Hans Hackmack" the sea rescuers provided them with dry clothing and warm drinks. As the rescued men were in shock, the sea rescuers alerted the rescue service ashore for safety reasons. An ambulance was already waiting for the Dutchmen in Norderney harbour.
As the water rose, the wreck drifted up again. Bremen Rescue Radio sent out safety messages overnight to warn of the drifting obstacle to shipping. At the time of the accident, about an hour after low tide, there were northerly winds of 3 Beaufort.
The Wilhelmshaven waterway police are now investigating how the accident occurred.
The capsizing of the Dutch sailors is not the first case of an accident in the Schluchter fairway. The last one there was in 2022 British Selger family in distress at sea had to be salvaged after their ship got stuck and filled up. And also a Sailors from Austria had been hit in almost the same place.
A recent report by the Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation (BSU), which analysed the case of the sailing yacht "Silja" that capsized in the Accumer Ee, also showed just how dangerous sailing yachts are. At the time, one of three crew members had drowned. In its report, the BSU had The dangers that need to be taken into account when travelling on the Seegatt are also expressly pointed out once again.
In the past, YACHT has also frequently Recommendations are given on how to navigate safely in the mudflats and in particular between the sea lanes.
