Fire Breaks Out on German-Flagged Tanker Annika in Baltic Sea: Rescue and Response Efforts

A fire broke out on the German-flagged oil and chemical tanker Annika in the Baltic Sea on Friday. The 73-meter vessel, carrying around 640 tons of oil, caught fire northeast of Kühlungsborn, Germany, prompting a significant rescue and firefighting response.

The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Bremen, operated by the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked (DGzRS), coordinated the initial response. All seven crew members were safely evacuated by the rescue boat WILMA SIKORSKI shortly after 10 am local time.

To combat the blaze, multiple assets were deployed, including the rescue cruiser ARKONA, the offshore recovery tugboat Baltic, and the multipurpose ship Arkona. Despite ongoing efforts, the engine room remained on fire throughout the day.

At 3:28 pm, authorities decided to tow the vessel to Rostock for continued firefighting operations. A spokesperson indicated that firefighting would be more effective at a berth on land, leading to the choice of Rostock.

By 7:32 pm, the Central Command for Maritime Emergencies in Germany reported that the fire on the tanker was largely under control and no longer spreading. The tanker was being towed to Rostock’s bulk cargo port by two tugboats from a private salvage company for further firefighting.

The incident occurred in the Bay of Mecklenburg, approximately 4,5 kilometers from the coast. As a precaution, the surrounding sea area and airspace within a 3 nautical mile radius were closed. Overall operational management for further actions has been assumed by Germany’s Federal Accident Command, with the ship’s condition being closely monitored and currently assessed as stable.