A collision occurred near Germany Heligoland Island between the historic lighthouse museum ship “Bürgermeister OSwald” and an 11.5-meter sailing yacht.
According to sea-news.az the incident took place during the night of June 7. Following the collision, the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service dispatched the vessels “Verena” and “Hermann Marwede,” while the federal government vessel “Neuwerk” also responded to the scene.
Rescue teams confirmed that the two Dutch nationals aboard the sailboat—a man and a woman—were unharmed. However, the yacht sustained significant damage, including the loss of its mast, and was subsequently taken under tow to a safe location.
Preliminary reports indicate that the sailboat was operating under full sail at the time of the accident. The museum ship “Bürgermeister OSwald” was returning from an event held at the port of Wyk auf Föhr.
No damage was reported aboard the museum ship, which later returned to the port of Cuxhaven.
Also known as “Elbe 1,” the Bürgermeister OSwald served from 1948 to 1988 as a lightship helping to ensure safe navigation at the entrance to the Elbe River. Since 1990, it has operated as a museum ship.
