Overview
- Specialists used a floating crane with two tugs and a workboat to raise the 135‑year‑old wooden two‑master, whose hull broke into two sections during the lift.
- The separated hull pieces were placed on a pontoon and towed to Cuxhaven overnight, following a low‑tide search that turned up no remaining wreckage.
- Authorities reported no significant pollution, noting the ship’s tanks were intact and oil‑containment gear was on standby throughout the recovery.
- The Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsamt deemed the vessel an economic total loss and said the owner faces a six‑figure salvage bill.
- Initial tow attempts failed earlier in the month due to persistent east winds and unusually low water, prompting the WSA to hire a specialist contractor after rescuers evacuated four sailors and a dog.