Bydgoszcz BM 5257
The 56 meter long, 507 ton self-propelled barge Bydgoszcz BM 5257 allided along the embankment on the Mittelland Canal near the 269 kilometer mark. The master of the vessel was unable to maintain his course in dense fog. The BM 5257 hull was damaged and the vessel suffered water ingress. The master of the vessel contacted the Oebisfelde fire department who found the vessel nearly sunk with water two meters high in the living quarters. Using a submersible pump, the fire department were able to keep the vessel afloat until divers could make repairs. The water police is conducting an investigation into the incident. The vessel did not have radar and lacked equipment to prevent it from sinking. The BM 5257 was proceeding from Poland to Wittingen with a cargo of 450 tons of fertilizers. No reports of injuries or pollution being released.
Video can be found at www.mdr.de
