Shipping - Rhine ship runs aground near Bacharach
A ship ran aground on the Rhine near Bacharach on Wednesday. The motor tanker was loaded with 3,000 tons of diesel, but it had not leaked, said a spokesman for the water police in Mainz. According to the information provided, no one was injured. As the stern of the ship was protruding into the navigation channel, the section of the Rhine was closed to shipping from the morning.
The first three attempts to tow the ship free were unsuccessful, as the police reported on Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday morning, SWR reported that a barge necessary for the salvage operation had arrived at the scene of the accident and that work had now begun on pumping some of the 3,000 tons of diesel onto the barge. This should free the tanker. The operation "got off to a good start this morning", says Florian Krekel, spokesman for the Rhine Waterways and Shipping Office, as reported by SWR.
Navigation between Bingen and Kaub still closed
The Rhine remained closed on the section from Bingen to Kaub. Navigation on the Rhine will only be reopened once the tanker is able to maneuver again. The police are investigating the cause of the accident and are trying to find out whether the accident was due to driver error or a technical defect.
Sources: DPA, SWR
Read also:
- Snow chaos further restricts Bavaria
- Unanimous decision: faster wolf culls possible
- The year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Snow and ice paralyze southern Germany
The motor tanker that faced issues near Bacharach on the Rhine is a significant topic in the top news headlines in Mainz. Despite multiple attempts, the police reported that the first three attempts to tow the ship free were unsuccessful. The closure of the navigation channel on the Rhine section between Bingen and Kaub continues, affecting shipping activities. The police are currently investigating the cause of the accident, exploring whether it was due to driver error or a technical defect.
Source: www.stern.de
