Inland Freighter Hits Pier at Decommissioned Nuclear Plant on the Elbe
Last week, an inland freighter hit an industrial pier on the river Elbe, damaging its bow and injuring the master, according to German response agencies.
Just after 0230 hours on Friday morning, emergency response agencies in Stade, Germany received notice that a ship had hit an industrial dock on the Elbe, at the inactive Kernkraftwerk Stade nuclear powerplant. The local branch of the German Life Saving Association (DLRG) reported initially that the captain had lost consciousness while on watch. He sustained injuries in the casualty, but the second crewmember aboard (reportedly the skipper's son) was unharmed.
The DLRG dispatched a rescue boat to the scene with medics on board. Two tugs and a pilot boat diverted to assist as well, along with fire and rescue units. In all, about 50 first responders attended the scene to assist. The medical team moved the injured captain over to a response boat and transferred him safely to shore. He was delivered to a nearby clinic in Stade for evaluation and treatment.
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The vessel's bow sustained significant damage above the waterline in the allision, DLRG said, and the rudder was stuck hard over to port. When the tugs arrived on scene, they towed the vessel out from under the bridge and - with extra workboats made up on the hip to counteract its jammed rudder - brought it safely to a berth at Butzfleth for inspection. Hamburg's water police unit is undertaking an investigation into the cause of the casualty.
It was one of three significant inland riverboat casualties in the region late last week. An inland freighter hit a mooring bollard at Port of Antwerp and sank overnight Friday, and another inland vessel hit the car carrier Silver Sun in Antwerp's harbor, penetrating the hull above the waterline.