A boat with anglers rammed another boat near Ribnitz-Damgarten in the dark. One woman died and eight people were injured. An expert now checks whether the fishing boat was too fast.
Ribnitz-Damgarten – A woman died in a serious boat accident on Lake Ribnitz in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Eight people were injured. A fishing boat rammed another, lighter boat on the way back to the port, as spokesman for the Stralsund public prosecutor’s office, Martin Cloppenburg, told the German Press Agency.
The accident happened around 10 p.m. on Tuesday evening 500 meters from the port of Ribnitz. The 35-year-old boat operator of the fishing boat, on which there were two other people, is being investigated on suspicion of negligent homicide and bodily harm and endangering shipping traffic.
Expert to clarify causes
“We have used an expert to clarify the exact accident conditions,” said Cloppenburg. For example, it is examined whether the aluminum fishing boat was too fast given the visibility conditions. In addition, it is checked whether the other pleasure craft, which was occupied by six people, was sufficiently illuminated and was allowed to lie in this place at the time.
The 66-year-old woman from the Vorpommern-Rügen district was on the rammed boat, according to the water police. She was so badly injured in the collision that several attempts at resuscitation failed.
Around 60 helpers from the police, fire brigade and the German Life Saving Society (DLRG) were deployed. All eight injured came to several hospitals. According to the DLRG, there are three women and five men. As a spokesman for the rescue organization said, one man was seriously injured, the other seven victims were classified as slightly injured. All those involved should come from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. According to the police, the injured are still to be questioned.
Emergency chaplains were also on duty to look after those affected, relatives and rescuers. “It was an unusual and very upsetting mission,” said DLRG spokesman Oliver Habel.
Boats were confiscated
The boats, badly damaged by the collision, were confiscated and stored for investigation purposes. It is about two private boats, each about six meters long, which had not sunk after the accident. In the camp, specialists should examine the boats more closely.
The Ribnitzer See forms the southern part of the Saaler Bodden, which also has a navigable connection to the Baltic Sea to the east. dpa
