Rothensee
On October 28, the 67 meter long self-propelled barge Rothensee sank after colliding with another vessel on the Mittelland Canal near Oebisfelde, Germany. The Rothensee quickly sank in 4.5 feet of water with its cargo of 800 tons or iron bars. No reports of injuries. Salvage teams quickly responded as the sunken Rothensee was blocking traffic on the canal. The salvage team was able to recover the 800 tons of iron off the vessel and began lifting efforts with a floating crane. As the stern was pulled above the water, the hull cracked just behind the stern wheelhouse. The 1.5 meter long crack halted operations. Steel plates were welded to stabilize the Rothensee to allow salvage operations to continued. After refloated, the Rothensee will be taken to a nearby berth where it can be scrapped.