Overview

• On June 26 a fully loaded tanker carrying 2,000 tons of diesel grounded on a sandbank near Oestrich-Winkel after its cargo caused it to sit too deep in the water.
• Crew maneuvers and support from the Wasserschutzpolizei failed to free the vessel, leading authorities to summon a second tanker for relief operations.
• Investigators suspect that excessive loading and reduced speed contributed to the grounding of the vessel.
• The assisting tanker safely evacuated 340 tons of diesel, lightening the grounded ship enough to clear the navigation channel later that evening.
• No damage was reported to either vessel and normal Rhine traffic resumed after the multi-hour closure.