Fire on yacht in Weser estuary: rescuers pull boat captain out of the North Sea

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Rescue workers could not save the burning boat from sinking

Photo: - / dpa

It sounds like rescue at the last second: With the help of a helicopter, a 68-year-old skipper was

rescued

from the

North Sea

after a fire on his motorboat

.

The man was pulled in the accident on Friday afternoon by a helper using a rescue sling from the 13 to 14 degrees cool water on board the helicopter, where he was given medical care and flown to a hospital, as the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked People (DGzRS) announced.

The ship, which was burning in the mouth of the Weser, was towed out of the fairway, but sank while the fire was being extinguished.

Radio connection broke off after an emergency call

After the fire broke out, the skipper was able to make an emergency call, then he had to jump off board his nine-meter-long yacht into the mouth of the Weser.

Shortly afterwards, the radio connection to the man broke off.

The sea rescuers left with two rescue ships.

In addition, a helicopter flew to the shipwrecked man.

The pilot reported that dark smoke had been seen from a distance.

The water police in Wilhelmshaven is investigating.

mmq / dpa