The shock news from the MidsummerSail came on Sunday evening. Before the second night at sea, a participating trimaran capsized in the German-Danish border area north-east of the island of Rügen. The accident happened about halfway between the northern tip of Rügen and Bornholm.
MidsummerSail: Solo sailor capsized and rescued
Skipper Rüdiger Schwarz started the 10th edition of the 900-nautical-mile MidsummerSail race from Wismar to Töre solo on the Seacart 30 "Avanza" on midsummer's day. After capsizing in winds of around 20 knots, the sea rescuers were alerted via satellite by the Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB), as reported by other regatta participants from the area.
The German Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Bremen, operated by the German Maritime Search and Rescue Association (DGzRS), coordinated the search and rescue operations quickly and effectively.
MidsummerSail organiser Robert Nowatzki reported on the course of the rescue operations in a statement on the distress at sea on the evening of 22 June. The German sea rescuers worked closely with their Danish and Swedish colleagues, who had also received the automatic distress call.
Research vessel "Daneb" rescues the tri-skipper
MRCC Bremen asked the German survey, wreck search and research vessel "Deneb" of the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH), which was travelling near the scene of the accident, to set course for the position transmitted by the emergency radio beacon. The "Deneb" found the capsized "Avanza", where the shipwrecked man was picked up by an escort boat.
The "Avanza" skipper was able to climb over himself. He was then winched up by a Danish search and rescue helicopter to receive medical treatment in Roskilde (Denmark). Previously, regatta participants had reported to the initial relief of rescuers and observers that they had spotted the stricken skipper standing on the capsized boat.
Later on Sunday evening, Robert Nowatzki received a call from Rüdiger Schwarz, who had already competed in the MidsummerSail several times before and had a lot of experience going into the race. Nowatzki reported: "He called me and said that he was fine. He has to sort himself out because all his things are on the boat. But he didn't suffer any injuries."
MidsummerSail: gale force winds ahead
The starting signal for the 10th MidsummerSail was only given on Saturday in the Bay of Wismar. The Baltic Sea sailing marathon takes its challengers over 900 nautical miles to the small Swedish harbour of Töre. We reported on the launch here. Very strong winds are expected in the regatta area at the beginning of the week.
Tatjana Pokorny
Sports reporter
