It was shortly after high tide at Elbe fairway buoy 120 when it happened: early on Saturday morning, a family ran aground on a stone dam there with their sailing yacht, which was around twelve metres long. According to information from the German Life Saving Association (DLRG), rescue teams from Stade and Wedel were deployed shortly after receiving the emergency call to assist the casualty.
Rescue with lifting bags and floats
To protect the hull from damage, two lifting bags were attached to the bow and stern in consultation with the boat owners to make it easier to float up later. At the same time, additional swimmers in wetsuits were called in. They brought additional material to the scene and supported the rescue directly in the water.
Sailing yacht salvaged largely undamaged
A press release from DLRG Stade states:
"Close coordination with the owner, timely action and our technical equipment contributed to the yacht being salvaged largely undamaged."
At 4.30 p.m., with the water returning, the yacht slowly began to right itself again. The DLRG boat "Kiek Ut" then towed her into Wedel harbour.
Accidents due to grounding occur time and again on the Elbe. These incidents occur regularly, but are often minor. The Elbe is more susceptible to such incidents than other bodies of water, mainly due to the tides and silting up. However, exact public statistics on how often this happens to sailing yachts are not available.
