Captain draws legal counsel. The crew has their own view of the incident.
12.06.19 Hamburg. – No. 5 Elbe will apparently not be able to be recovered from the Elbe until the weekend of the fifteenth at the earliest. The work could even be delayed until next week, according to the Hamburg Maritim Foundation. No final decision has yet been made on the right course of action – the foundation is concerned with both the basic structure of the 136-year-old ship and its historic interior.
According to the board of trustees Joachim Kaiser, it is a high priority that wooden decorations and the furnishings, including historic bunks with bunk beds, can be saved. “The interior of the ship is what makes the ship, combined with its construction and history, a cultural monument,” Kaiser says. “Accordingly, we have to try to get it as good as we can.”
Recovery of the “No. 5 Elbe “carries risks
The recovery needs to be done very carefully. To do this, it is likely to be erected first and then lifted by a floating crane. ‘ “It’s important to prevent the ship from breaking into several parts in the process,” Joachim Kaiser said. Insurance has the final say on planning and will select a salvage company.
Even after the ship has been lifted out, there will be a need for haste. A lot of silt as well as belongings still spill inside, according to Kaiser. “The interior design must be dried before the silt hardens.” With a quick drainage, the ship’s three engines could also potentially still be saved. The rest of the on-board electronics, on the other hand, would probably have to be replaced in any case.
Captain of pilot schooner drags in lawyer
Police are investigating the 82-year-old captain of the “No. 5 Elbe, “Dietmar P., for negligent bodily harm and endangering shipping. He has since brought in a lawyer in his defense. A discussion between Dietmar P. and the board of trustees was also due to take place on Wednesday. The veteran ship guide was “heartbroken” by the accident, it said after Pentecost from the foundation. He has so far not provided detailed details to the police.
Investigators are still evaluating radio claims and radar data. According to Abendblatt information, Dietmar P. allegedly did not respond to several warning radio messages from a preceding freighter. As can be heard from the context of the investigation, several other crew members make the “No. 5 Elbe, “however, also partially responsible the captain of the container ship for the collision.
Federal site for maritime accident investigation switched on
In the meantime, the Federal Maritime Accident Investigation Unit (BSU) has also intervened in the investigation of the accident. Eight people had been injured in the collision, including two children. Police have not yet commented in detail on the course of the accident, with an eye to the ongoing investigation.
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Contributing editor – Christoph Heinemann, Abendblatt