Accidents - Sailor falls overboard - search operation on the North Sea
A large-scale search operation for a missing sailor has been underway in the German Bight in stormy weather and high waves since last night. The crew member of a fishing trawler had fallen overboard into the ten-degree North Sea, according to the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS). The ship's crew then alerted the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Bremen, which is coordinating the search and rescue operations, on Wednesday night.
Several sea rescue ships and helicopters then made their way to the remote scene of the accident, far out in the German Bight, more than 110 kilometers west of the offshore island of Helgoland.
In addition to the long journey, adverse weather conditions made the search operation particularly difficult. According to the sea rescuers, there is a force nine gale at the scene of the accident. There are swells with waves between four and five meters high. Far out at sea, the rescue teams also have to communicate via channels other than VHF radio - such as satellite phones.
The operation is running at full speed
The missing seaman was part of a crew of eight on a 24-metre fishing vessel sailing under the flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is still unclear exactly how the accident occurred.
Commercial and government vessels as well as a research vessel and a cruise ship were also involved in the search in the sea area. The crew of a car transporter initially took charge of the operation on site on behalf of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center. Two rescue helicopters also took part in the search: one from the "Sea Lion" naval aircraft from Nordholz and a search and rescue helicopter from Denmark.
After hours of operation during the night, the first rescue teams and ships were relieved, according to the DGzRS. "The operation is still ongoing," said a DGzRS spokesperson on Wednesday morning. The rescue helicopter of the naval aviators was to search the search area again in the morning. Several government vessels, including the emergency tug "Nordic", were at the scene this morning.
The DGzRS spokesperson said that the chances of the missing seaman surviving in the cold North Sea depended on several factors. Decisive factors include his state of health, his physical condition and whether the seaman was wearing protective equipment.
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 search operation for the missing sailor is being conducted in the challenging weather conditions of the German Bight, a region located in the North Sea.
- The DGzRS, based in Lower Saxony, Germany, is leading the search operation for the sailor who fell overboard from a fishing cutter.
- The fishing cutter, part of the shipping industry, was sailing under the UK flag and had a crew of eight, including the missing seaman.
- The Sea Lion naval aircraft from Nordholz and a search and rescue helicopter from Denmark have joined the search operation in the North Sea, off the coast of Schleswig-Holstein.
- The accident occurred far out at sea, more than 110 kilometers west of Helgoland, a remote offshore island known for its maritime activities.
- Commercial and government vessels, as well as a research vessel and a cruise ship, are participating in the search operation, demonstrating the collaborative effort in maritime emergencies.
- Adverse weather conditions, such as high winds and massive waves, have made the search operation even more challenging, requiring the use of alternative communication methods.
- The survival chances of the missing seaman depend on various factors, including his health, physical condition, and whether he was wearing protective gear to endure the cold North Sea waters.
Source: www.stern.de
