It was early on Saturday morning, pitch dark and cold, when the crew of a fishing boat discovered an unmanoeuvrable sailing yacht nine miles northwest of the island of Fehmarn. According to a statement from the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS), the boat was exhibiting atypical behaviour and the crew was not responding to radio contact. The crew of the cutter therefore alerted the maritime rescue coordination centre at around 3.30 am.
Distress at sea due to line in propeller
At the same time, a federal police vessel was in the area and offered its assistance. When they arrived at the scene, the police transferred to the sailing yacht. On board, it turned out that a line was blocking the propeller, rendering the ten-metre-long yacht unable to manoeuvre. In addition, the radio on board had failed and the skipper had injured his foot.
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Volunteer sea rescuers from Heiligenhafen and Fehmarn were called out by the rescue coordination centre at around 5.30 am. They took the sailing yacht in tow and brought it to Heiligenhafen.
Fabian Boerger
Editor News & Panorama
