Overview
- The converted crab trawler Hauke became adrift when a heavy fishing net ripped and hung under the hull, risking fouling the propeller and loss of steerage.
- There were 53 people on board—50 passengers and a three‑person crew—and the crew could not recover the full, heavy net before calling for help.
- The Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbrüchiger sent the rescue cruiser THEODOR STORM, which took the Hauke under tow and brought it into the safe harbor at Büsum.
- Rescuers reported no injuries and said that calm summer weather and quiet seas helped keep the operation straightforward and prevent escalation.
- The incident highlights how fishing gear failures can disable small passenger vessels and underscores the DGzRS’s role in rapid response to prevent grounding on nearby shoals.