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Former lightship towed to yard for repairs of sabotage damage

The 'Amrumbank/Deutsche Bucht' has been towed by two tugs from its berth at the Ratsdelft in Emden to the shipyard Emder Werft und Dock GmbH (EWD) for repairs and further investigations, four months after unknown persons on June 20, 2021, had drilled holes into the hull and caused water ingress and significant damage. 18 cubic meters had entered the interior through four holes. For the repair the ship will be tilted to get access to the holes and close them by welding. The engines, which suffered water damage, will be repaired too. It was yet unclear how long the work will take. The damage was around 100.000 Euro.

Perpetrators tried to scuttle lightship

On June 20, 2021, unknown persons have tried to scuttle the "Amrumbank in the Ratsdelft in the center of Emden. The museum association, which owns the 106-year-old listed lightship, was assuming a damage of at least 100,000 Euros. The perpetrators had broken into the engine room and drilled four holes in the steelhull, which is up to eight millimeters thick. Water started entering the ship. In addition, seven portholes were opened, through which more water could have flowed if the ship had tilted. A member of the museum ship association discovered the damage in good time in the evening and then alerted other association members. The holes were barely closed with wooden arrows. At that time, the water in the engine room was up to 1.30 meters high. Using heavy equipment and a suction hose, around 18 cubic meters of the oil-polluted water were pumped out on June 21. Police forensic technicians examined the holes in the hull. In addition to a drill, a hammer and an angle grinder were also found at the crime scene. The museum association assumed that the perpetrators may have gained access to the lightship via the Delft with a rubber dinghy. The "Amrumbank/Deutsche Bucht" was only towed back to its berth on the Ratsdelft in the center of Emden city in December 2020 after extensive renovation work. The approximately 170 members of the museum association most recently worked on setting up the exhibition and on the interior design. The total cost of the renovation was just under five million Duros. The shocked association assumed sabotage. The association offered a reward of 3,000 Euros for targeted advice.