What Crew Members Say About Songa-Pearl

In a remarkable turn of events, the missing crew member of the tanker 'Songa Pearl' was located alive, hidden on the vessel during its passage through the Kiel Canal. This incident unfolded on January 25, when an extensive search was launched, involving a large rescue team scouring the area for several hours. Miraculously, the sailor was found aboard, albeit in a state of confusion and disorientation. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance remain unclear. Following the incident, the 'Songa Pearl' successfully completed its journey and arrived in Gdansk on January 27.

In a distressing incident on January 25, 2026, the tanker 'Songa Pearl', en route from Antwerp to Gdansk, experienced a tragic event when a 29-year-old crew member fell overboard in the Elbe estuary. The alarm was raised at 6:00 AM following the last sighting of the individual a few hours earlier. The Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Rettung Schiffbrüchiger (DGzRS) swiftly initiated a comprehensive search operation, deploying multiple vessels including the 'Hermann Rudolf Meyer', 'Anneliese Kramer', 'Theodor Storm', 'Bernhard Gruben', and 'Hermann Marwede', along with the 'Gillis Gullbranson'. Additionally, law enforcement was also involved, with the Hamburg water police's boat “Bürgermeister Brauer” and the Schleswig-Holstein water police's vessel “Schwansen” joining the efforts. The pilot boat “Pilot Dithmarschen” and the tug “Soenke” provided further assistance, as did a Sea Lion helicopter from the naval air wing. Coordination of the operation was managed by the MRCC in Bremen. Given the uncertain duration since the crew member's last sighting, the initial search area was extensive, covering the regions between the Weser and Elbe estuaries. Several lifeboats navigated both the Lower Elbe and strategic sections of the Outer Weser and Outer Elbe. At 7:00 AM, the lifeboat 'Anneliese Kramer' located a lifebuoy equipped with a flashing signal on the Lower Elbe, confirmed to be linked to the 'Songa Pearl.' Consequently, the search zone shifted to the coastal area between Cuxhaven-Groden and Otterndorf, adapting to the tidal and current conditions by moving to a northwest direction. The water temperature in the search area was reported at approximately one degree Celsius, with wind conditions at force 3. The search operation was ultimately halted at 12:52 PM, pending any new developments. By 10:30 AM UTC, the 'Songa Pearl' successfully reached the Brunsbüttel locks of the Kiel Canal, with an estimated time of arrival in Gdansk set for January 27. For more information and visuals, visit the DGzRS report at https://www.seenotretter.de/aktuelles/seenotfaelle/gross-angelegte-suche-nach-vermisstem-seemann-in-der-elbmuendung.