On June 7, German sea rescue teams responded to a collision between a historic lightship, now a museum vessel, and an 11.5-meter sailboat near Heligoland, Germany. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported; however, the sailboat sustained significant damage and was left without its mast.
Rescue vessels, including the Verena, Hermann Marwede, and the federal ship Neuwerk, were dispatched to the scene. Paramedics from the Neuwerk confirmed that a Dutch couple aboard the sailboat was unharmed. An engineer from the Hermann Marwede assisted in securing the damaged vessel, while the Verena towed it back to safety.
The circumstances surrounding the collision remain unclear. At the time, the sailboat was fully rigged, and the lightship, known as Bürgermeister O’Swald, was returning from a public display event in Wyk auf Föhr, Germany. This lightship, also referred to as Elbe 1 or the “Red Lady,” is notable for being the largest of its kind ever built, measuring over 57 meters in length.
Originally commissioned in 1948, the Bürgermeister O’Swald served for 40 years guiding ships on the Elbe River, enduring over 50 collisions throughout her operational life. She was retired in 1988 and has been a private museum ship since 1990. There were no damages reported to the lightship, which has since returned to its berth in Cuxhaven. The Helgoland water police are currently investigating the incident.
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