Skipper Injured as Sailboat is Caught in Tanker’s Wake Entering Lock

The skipper of a training sailboat operating in Germany was injured when the vessel was caught in the wake of a tanker as it was entering a lock on Saturday evening, May 24. The skipper was injured when the rigging collapsed as the vessels collided in the lock and the mast was damaged on the sailboat.

The 11.5-meter (38-foot) sailboat Elbe Express built in 2016 is employed for sailing instruction in Hamburg and the surrounding areas of Germany. School operator Yachtschule Eichler highlights that it is an agile vessel “ideal for sailing instruction because it conveys the physical feeling of sailing a large dinghy.” It is certified by the German Maritime Accident Insurance Association (Seeberufsgenossenschaft) and used for cruises on the Elbe River, North Sea, Atlantic, and Baltic Sea.

The vessel was directed into the lock at Brunsbüttel on Saturday evening but became caught in the wake of an unnamed tanker that had already entered the lock. The mast of the Elbe Express hit the deck of the tanker and broke. 

 

Mast of the sailboat broke and the rigging fell to the deck injuring the skipper (Yachtschule Eichler)

 

The collapsing pieces of the rigging trapped the skipper of the vessel against the rail of the boat and the Brunsbüttel fire brigade had to be brought in with equipment to free her. She was airlifted to a local hospital. The company reports the skipper is bruised and suffered a broken rib but avoided more serious injury and has been released from the hospital.

The operator reports that these types of incidents are unfortunately a relatively frequent occurrence. The tanker had fenders to prevent serious damage to the vessel but unfortunately, the incident still occurred. The company reports it is in a dialogue with the Federal WSV about how these types of incidents can be avoided in the future. It also warns boats not to enter the lock until the situation in the chamber is safe.

The authorities are not proceeding with a further investigation. After an initial review, the company reports, it was determined the skipper had acted correctly attempting to prevent the incident in the lock.

Trips with the Elbe Express were canceled while the company was waiting for a new rig from Denmark. They expect the vessel to be repaired and back in service next week.