The Danish local newspaper Fyns Amts Avis reports that the Ærø Sea Rescue Association (Ærø Søredningsforening) has been fined 5,000 kroner (670 euros). Their boat is said to be responsible for a small oil spill that was discovered when the royal yacht "Dannebrog" visited Marstal last August.
At that time, the "Erria Rescue" was moored next to the royal yacht when King Frederik and Queen Mary visited the city. The "Dannebrog" could not enter the harbour directly, which is why the royal couple were taken ashore in a sloop. Several photos were taken by a Danish navy boat showing a small amount of diesel oil in the water next to the Dannebrog and the sea rescue boat. These images were handed over to the police in Funen, who are now accusing Ærø Søredningsforening of causing the pollution and thus violating the Marine Environment Act.
The volunteer sea rescuers bought the "Erria Rescue" with their own funds
"It's possible that we were responsible, but none of our alarm systems sounded to report water in the engine room when we were out that day. Also, there were probably 20 to 30 other boats in the vicinity. If even one of these boats had an automatic pump in operation that pumped out bilge water, the oil could just as easily have come from there," explains volunteer sea rescuer John Vestergaard to the newspaper on Funen.
Foreman Erik Bjørn Sørensen: "We use a ship that is authorised by the Danish Maritime Authority and is inspected every two years. We can hardly do more." In 2017, the approximately 100 volunteer members of the Ærø Søredningsforening bought the "Erria Rescue" with their own funds.
Now her ship is lying high and dry on land while the case is heard in court, which will probably take a year. This is far too long, says Peter Lund, CEO of a yacht insurance company from Marstal: "This nonsense must come to an end!" He plans to sponsor a lawyer to provide the best possible support for the voluntary sea rescuers from Ærø in their legal dispute.
Royal yacht "Dannebrog" itself heavily criticised - due to emissions
Ironically, the royal yacht itself is heavily criticised, as the emissions of the old diesel engines, each with 870 hp, are no longer considered up to date. King Frederik regularly emphasises how important environmental protection is to him. However, a recent overview by the Ministry of Defence, which is responsible for the ship, shows that the "Dannebrog" was used so heavily in 2024 that diesel consumption reached its highest level in ten years. A dilemma that the Royal Household has now also confirmed and wants to examine whether there are ways to reduce the emissions of this traditional ship.
