Volunteer Rescue Boat Saves Fishing Vessel From Flooding

On Tuesday, a volunteer rescue crew from the German Maritime Search and Rescue Association (DGzRS) saved a beam trawler from flooding with assistance from the German Navy. 

At about 1745 hours on Tuesday, the fishing vessel Stella Polaris struck a Maltese-flagged cargo ship at anchor off the coast of Wilhelmshaven. The merchant vessel was undamaged, but the Polaris suffered heavy flooding in her engine compartment. At first the two members of her crew tried to control the flooding on their own, but at about 1820 they made a distress call to MRCC Bremen to request assistance. 

The first responder on scene was the German Navy frigate Nordrhein-Westfalen, and the warship sent a boarding team to the Polaris to help with damage control. The DGzRS rescue boat Hermann Marwede also got under way from her base on Heligoland to assist, bringing dewatering pumps with her. When she arrived on scene, her crew helped the Polaris get the flooding under control.

DGzRS

With flooding levels on board Polaris stabilized, the Hermann Marwede made fast to the fishing vessel and took her in to Wilhelmshaven. Additional rescue vessels  - the Hermann Rudolf Meyer and the Neuwerk - stood by during the tow in case additional assistance was needed. 

The two members of the Polaris' crew were unharmed, and no pollution has been reported. A police investigation into the circumstances of casualty is under way.