A fire broke out on the oil tanker “Annika” on Friday morning as it sailed between Kühlungsborn and Warnemünde in the Baltic Sea. The 73-metre-long and 12-metre-wide vessel was loaded with around 640 tonnes of oil when the flames broke out, prompting a rapid response by emergency crews.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Bremen, run by the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked Persons, mobilised a fleet of rescue vessels , including the emergency tug “Baltic” and the multipurpose ship “Arkona”. These vessels are fighting the fire from the outside of the tanker, cooling the hull to prevent the fire from spreading.
Successful rescue after oil tanker fire
Seven sailors on board the Annika were successfully evacuated by the sea rescue ship Wilma Sikorski . Fortunately, they only suffered minor injuries. The ship remains anchored in the Mecklenburg Bay, about 4.5 kilometres from the coast. In addition, the maritime area and airspace within a radius of three nautical miles have been closed to ensure safety during the firefighting operation.
Fire on the tanker “Annika”. Source: Rostock-Heute.de
Fire crews from Rostock and Kiel, transported by helicopter, are assessing whether it is safe to board the tanker to fight the flames from the inside. Meanwhile, the tug “Baltic” continues to cool the rear of the vessel , where the fire appears to have started.
The westerly wind, blowing at around 38 km/h, and the low water temperature (around 10 degrees Celsius) are complicating the firefighting efforts. Black smoke is visible from the coast, causing concern among the inhabitants of the region. However, the authorities assure that they are taking all necessary precautions to control the situation.
The federal emergency command has taken over management of the operation, coordinating the deployment of additional rescue ships and helicopters to support the incident.
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Source and photo: Rostock-Heute
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