"The ongoing salvaging operation of the 'Saentis' in Lake Constance will persist."
A steamship named Saentis was abandoned and sunk in Lake Constance back in 1933 due to its high cost of scrapping. After 90 years, a club known as the Romanshorn-based Shipwreck Association in Switzerland made plans to recover this historic vessel. Despite two unsuccessful attempts, they remain determined to continue the project because of the immense public backing they've received.
In May, their second attempt hit a snag when the built-in brakes on the winch meant to lower the lifting platform onto the submerged ship malfunctioned, rendering them useless. The president of the project, Silvan Paganini, initially declared the endeavor a failed, causing consternation among many of the participants and onlookers.
However, they've recently decided to soldier on. Essentially, everything needs to be restarted from the beginning since the platform was crushed during the second attempt. Additionally, the underwater robot requires repairs. Lessons were learned from the previous attempts: voluntary labor alone is insufficient for such a complex mission; professional assistance is crucial. Furthermore, sufficient funds are necessary to obtain the right materials and ensure a seamless process. After accumulating 250,000 euros in donations the year before, they're now gathering more money.
Sinking of Saentis in 1933: Scrapping Cost Too High
Initially, the 48-meter-long Saentis was operational on Lake Constance, carrying 400 passengers, since 1892. In May 1933, it was decided that the steamship was unseaworthy. Rather than bear the expenses of disposing of this passenger ship in the middle of the lake between Romanshorn in Switzerland and Langenargen in Germany, they opted to sink it instead.
The first trial in mid-April ended in failure due to technical mishaps. The lifting line, which was behind the hoisting of a rigging, broke, causing the entire rigging to plunge into the lake's depths. As a result, seven planned ship excursions with around a thousand bystanders to the unrecovered wreck were subsequently terminated.
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The salvaging operation of the 'Saentis' in Lake Constance is of international interest, given its historical significance and the unique challenge it poses for underwater shipping operations.
Despite the setbacks, the Romanshorn-based Shipwreck Association is planning to secure additional funding for professional assistance and materials, with the aim of ensuring a successful recovery of the 'Saentis' through international Lake Constance shipping collaborations.
