ELTJE LOODEN
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1455 days ago
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Water ingress off Süderoog
On Sep 30, 2026, shortly after 9 a.m., the crew of the 'Eltje Looden' contacted the MRCC in Bremen, after the fishing vessel had suffered a significant water ingress off the Eiderstedt peninsula. Although the fishermen were initially able to control it with the onboard bilge pump, they requested assistance. At that time, the wooden cutter was about six nautical miles west of the North Frisian outer sandbank Süderoog Sand, roughly at the level of the approach buoy for the Schmaltief fairway. The MRCC alerted the sea rescuers at the DGzRS station Büsum. The lifeboat 'Theodor Storm' immediately set course for the fishing cutter, which meanwhile drifted towards the sea rescuers. Shortly afterwards, the fishermen reported, that the water ingress had increased without any apparent cause. Due to the changing situation, the MRCC mobilised the lifeboat 'Hermann Marewede' from the German Bight/Heligoland position as a precaution. When the 'Theodor Storm' arrived at the 'Eltje Looden', a searescuer immediately boarded with a powerful submersible pump and a leak-proof sail, despite a sea state of about 1.5 meters and southeasterly winds gusting up to force 6. With the additional pump, the water level inside the ship could be held at about 20 to 30 centimetres. Apparently, the water entered the vessel above the waterline through a caulking joint between two wooden planks. The fishing vessel was able to continue under its own power towards Büsum. A short time later, the 'Hermann Marwede' also arrived on the scene. Its daughter boat 'Verena' transferred another sea rescuer and a third bilge pump to the 'Eltje Looden'. However, this pump was not needed, as the existing pumping capacity was sufficient to keep the vessel afloat. The water ingress also diminished in the increasingly calm sea. Escorted by the two lifeboats, the vessel set course for Büsum and entered the harbour jointly with the 'Theodor Storm'. Shortly afterwards, it was safely and securely moored at the pier. No further assistance was required, as no more water entered the hull in the harbour basin. The cause of the water ingress was to be determined at a shipyard later the day. Report with photo: https://www.seenotretter.de/aktuelles/seenotfaelle/seenotretter-im-einsatz-fuer-kutter-mit-starkem-wassereinbruch
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