A fire broke out on the 73-meter-long German oil and chemical tanker “Annika” in the Bay of Mecklenburg, between Kühlungsborn and Warnemünde, on the morning of October 11, 2024.
According to the online news site Rostock-Heute, the seven-man crew was safely rescued by the sea rescue boat Wilma Sikorski, part of the German Sea Rescue Service (DGzRS). The ship is anchored about 2.5 nautical miles (4.5 km) off the coast, and firefighting efforts are underway.
Several rescue vessels, including the emergency tug Baltic, the multi-purpose ship Arkona, and helicopters, are involved in fighting the fire, which appears to have started at the stern. The tanker is carrying 640 tons of oil, raising concerns about potential environmental hazards. The Federal Emergency Management Command has assumed overall control, and nearby airspace and sea areas have been closed to aid the operation.
