Hamburg-St. Pauli - Fire department pulls motorhome out of the Elbe during major operation
At St. Pauli-Fischmarket, a motorhome rolled into the Elbe river. According to the Hamburg Fire Department, no one was harmed as per reports. The two occupants had managed to get themselves to safety before the arrival of emergency services, a Fire Department spokesperson stated on Tuesday.
The driver of the twelve-ton vehicle had intended to reverse park. In the process, the motorhome slipped over the quay wall into the water. The occupants had quickly exited the vehicle. The Fire Department intended to retrieve the vehicle using their new, 70-meter high telescopic crane.
Right in the city and directly by the water: Elbe's camping site is popular among campers
The campsite for motorhomes near the landing bridges offers a view over the harbor and is popular among campers. NDR reports that the handbrake of the motorhome had not been applied. The accident occurred in the late morning.
The retrieval of the vehicle required a large-scale operation by the Fire Department: Firefighters secured four chains to the wheels of the motorhome on Tuesday afternoon. A crane then pulled the 14-ton camper onto the campsite, as reported by the broadcaster. Fireboats and even a rescue helicopter and rescue divers were also in action.
The couple had only recently purchased the camper; it was their second vacation at this location in Hamburg.
Sources: dpa, NDR
What's the deal with so many Germans taking their holidays in a motorhome? stern-Reporter Gunnar Herbst packed his bags and his family to find out.
The motorhome incident at the Elbe's camping site was widely covered in the news, with local outlets like NDR reporting on the details. Despite the mishap, the camping site near the landing bridges remains a popular destination for motorhome enthusiasts in Germany, including the couple who recently purchased their camper and returned for a second vacation in Hamburg. In the future, campers might consider applying the handbrake more carefully to avoid such incidents near water bodies, like the Elbe river, where emergency services, such as the Fire Department, have to intervene.
