- Water breakage at a tanker on the Rhine
A ship loaded with nitric acid encountered difficulties on the Rhine near Mainz. As the ship anchored at the winter harbor, the crew discovered a breach in the outer wall through which water was entering, as reported by the water police.
Upon arrival of the emergency services on Saturday evening, a slight list was already visible, the fire department explained. Water was pumped out of the ship to stabilize it. The acid was partially pumped onto another ship that was called in the same evening.
No one was injured and no nitric acid entered the Rhine, the water police reported. The leak did not affect the tank. There were no indications of an accident. The leak is to be repaired by divers after the pumping work is completed.
The rest of the ship traffic can pass the site slowly, the police explained. The ship was carrying a total of 1650 tons of nitric acid.
The emergency services were called to stabilize the ship due to a slight list caused by the water inflow. To prevent any nitric acid spillage, some was transferred to another ship during the evening.
