Drama on the Baltic: Oil Tanker Blaze Off German Coast

An oil tanker named Annika caught fire off Germany's Baltic Sea coast, resulting in the rescue of all seven crew members. The tanker, carrying 640 metric tonnes of oil, was stabilized and towed to Rostock for further firefighting efforts. Crew members sustained minor injuries.

A fire erupted in the engine room of the oil tanker Annika off the coast of Germany's Baltic Sea on Friday, prompting a swift rescue operation for the seven crew members onboard, authorities reported.

The German Maritime Search and Rescue Service received an alert shortly after 9 am as the 73-meter-long vessel, bearing the German flag, found itself between Kuehlungsborn and Warnemuende. Within an hour, a rescue boat arrived, successfully evacuating the crew, several of whom suffered minor injuries, and transferring them to hospitals as a safety measure.

The Annika, laden with approximately 640 metric tonnes of oil, was subjected to a cooling operation via a tugboat, and later evaluated as stable by experts. Subsequently, firefighters boarded the tanker to assess the situation, and it was decided that towing the ship to Rostock would facilitate continued firefighting efforts.

(With inputs from agencies.)