Hamburg 17.6.2019 – No. 5 Elbe has been lifted overnight. Joachim Kaiser from the Hamburg Maritim Foundation was very pleased with the work of the Ardentia Marine salvage company divers. They had lifted the wooden two-master out of the silt with large yellow lifting bags filled with air. At the same time, the water was pumped out of the ship. Now the damage will be reviewed and further action discussed, Kaiser said.
The pumps were still in use on Monday morning. Assessment will now be made on how the Elbe will be transported to Hamburg, whether it can be pulled the whole route on the water or needs to be transported by other means.
How much of the damage Elbe has is still unclear Joachim Kaiser said, however, “We firmly expect that the ship will be ready for use again soon.”
Ongoing Investigation
The investigation into the cause of the accident has been taken over by the Federal Maritime Accident Investigations Unit (BSU). Federal agency employees were on hand in recovering the sailing ship. The BSU does not currently provide details of the state of the investigation. “This is an ongoing procedure,” explains Ulf Kaspera, director of the Federal Office. All those involved are being interrogated for the investigation report of the agency based in Hamburg.
Police have also begun their investigation into the case. Unlike the Federal Maritime Accident Investigations Unit, which investigates the course of the accident and subsequently makes safety recommendations, the police also consider criminal prosecution. Officers are investigating on suspicion of endangering ship traffic and negligent bodily harm.
