According to the fire brigade, the ship apparently sank very quickly within a few minutes. It was therefore too late to deploy pumps that could have kept the ship afloat.
The fire brigade took safety measures to protect the river Trave against leaking fuels and to minimise environmental damage.
Nothing is known about the exact causes of the sinking of the "Fridthjof".
The traditional ship was part of Lübeck's museum harbour. It is 32.50 metres long and 6.20 metres wide. The "Fridthjof" was built in Norway in 1881 for ice travel and was later used as a seal and walrus trawler.
According to the website of the Lübeck museum harbour, the ship used to offer guest cruises for up to 35 people and regatta cruises. It was also used for children and young people as part of adventure education programmes.
