KAISER WILHELM
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Two injured in grounding of paddle wheeler
The 'Kaiser Wilhelm' ran aground on a sandbank in the Elbe River near Radegast on the afternoon of Sep 12 at 12.45 p.m. The accident occurred near kilometer marker 555. The upstream-bound paddle steamer slid onto a sandbank while sailing within the shipping channel. There was no hard impact or abrupt stop; the ship merely slowed down slightly. Nevertheless, two elderly people lost their balance at the buffet and fell. Both sustained minor injuries. One of the individuals later developed circulatory problems. Consequently, the Bleckede Volunteer Fire Department was alerted. Emergency crews deployed a boat and took charge of the two injured passengers while still on the Elbe. Two ambulances were waiting ashore. The passengers were subsequently taken to the surgical outpatient department at Lüneburg Hospital for further examination. After an inspection, emergency crews found no damage to the historic paddle steamer. The "Kaiser Wilhelm" was therefore able to continue under its own power. The Scharnebeck Water Police were on the scene with a patrol boat and investigated why the ship had run onto the sandbank amid the shipping channel. On Sep 13, the 'Kaiser Wilhelm' was sailing again as scheduled.
Paddle wheel broke on Elbe
On Aug 1, 2026, at noon the "Kaiser Wilhelm" broke down on the Elbe River near Boizenburg. The journey of the historic paddle steamercame to a premature end after the shaft of the starboard side paddle wheel broke. near Boizenburg. There were 76 passengers on board. Thanks to the bow thruster, which was installed just last year, Captain Markus Reich was able to keep the steamer safely in the channel, maneuvering it backwards towards Lauenburg and keeping it away from sandbanks. The launch "Hitzler-Lauenburg" from the Hitzler Shipyard then took over the towing to the landing stage. A new paddle wheel had to be manufactured. Repairs were completed on Aug 17, and the ship returned to its berth. Report with photo and video: https://www.lueneburgaktuell.de/artikel/havarie-auf-der-elbe--raddampfer-kaiser-wilhelm-brach-die-schaufelradwelle/
Paddle wheeler suffered bottom touches on the Elbe
On May 24, 2025, the 'Kaiser Wilhelm' with 116 passengers on board touched the bottom of the Elbe several times due to low water levels. At around 10:45 a.m., the first slight grounding occurred at the silted-up entrance to Bleckede port. The Elbe had a depth of only 5.32 meters there, which was a critical water level for the ship. There were several slight groundings, but it arrived safely in Hitzacker." For safety reasons, the steam engine was temporarily stopped to prevent water from entering the boilers. During the evening, on the return trip the paddle wheeler grounded again at river kilometer 550 near the northwestern harbour entrance of Bleckede,in the immediate vicinity of the ferry terminal. A sandbank blocked the ship as it reversed. The 'Kaiser Wilhelm' remained stuck for almost 30 minutes. Through precise maneuvering, Captain Reich finally managed to free the ship and turn it around.
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