Shipwreck Investigations begin after fire on tanker "Annika"

Emergency services have prevented a catastrophe following a fire on a tanker in the Baltic Sea. The damaged vessel is in Rostock harbor. The search for the cause of the fire begins on Saturday.

Fire investigators will go on board as soon as possible. Divers will also inspect the ship's hull. The German Federal Bureau of Maritime Casualty Investigation routinely gets involved after accidents.

"The final inspection is currently being carried out to determine whether there are still pockets of embers. In principle, we can assume that the fire on board has been extinguished," said Michael Allwardt, acting head of the Rostock fire department.

The ship reached Rostock-Warnemünde shortly before midnight on Saturday night and was then towed to Rostock's overseas port. According to the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies, around 120 people were deployed.

Smoke could be seen for miles

The fire on the 73-metre-long ship broke out on Friday morning between Rostock-Warnemünde and Kühlungsborn, approximately at the level of the Baltic Sea resort of Heiligendamm. According to the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies, the fire probably started in the paint room for as yet unexplained reasons. The black smoke could be seen as far as the coast, some 4.5 kilometers away.

The accident triggered a large-scale deployment of emergency services. Three firefighting vessels fought the fire from the outside for several hours. On Friday afternoon, firefighters boarded the "Annika" to investigate the situation. According to the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies, the "Annika" was carrying around 640 tons of oil. The ship's cargo was therefore not affected by the fire.

No water pollution so far

The twelve-metre wide ship, which can supply large ships with fuel among other things, was reportedly on its way from Rostock to Travemünde. According to earlier information from the Schwerin Ministry of the Environment, no water pollution has occurred so far. However, an oil barrier was placed around the "Annika" in the harbor to prevent any contamination of the water, the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies announced.

The German Maritime Search and Rescue Service brought the seven crew members to safety and ashore. The Central Command for Maritime Emergencies announced on Friday evening that the injured had been discharged from hospital. They were being cared for by specialists from the German Seamen's Mission and, if necessary, psychosocially.

SDA