DGzRS rescue boat tows large dredger near Wangerooge

A sea rescue boat has successfully towed a much larger dredger to safety in the North Sea near the island of Wangerooge. The rescue vessel, the ‘Fritz Thieme’, used its 380 HP engine to tow the approximately 550-ton dredger ‘Anke’ after it suffered engine failure near the harbor entrance.

The German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) reported that while the ‘Anke’ attempted to maintain its position using its suction pipe, it required urgent assistance to prevent being swept away or running aground by strong ebb currents.

This was the second mission for the volunteer crew of the ‘Fritz Thieme’ within a single day. Earlier, shortly after midnight, the crew responded to a sailing yacht drifting ten kilometers northwest of Wangerooge. The yacht, which had torn sails and failed position lights, posed a significant collision risk in the dark, heavily trafficked shipping lane. The crew assisted the two disoriented men on board and guided the vessel to the harbor at Hooksiel.