The tractor prevents Elbe collision: alcoholized captain sleeps!

The tractor prevents Elbe collision: alcoholized captain sleeps!

In the night from Saturday to Sunday there was a dramatic almost accident on the Elbe! An inland engine ship and a tractor, shortly before midnight, only escaped a collision through a daring evasive maneuver of a tractor. The tank ship driving under German flag was on the way to the channel passage when it suddenly headed to the tractor at the level of the elevator.

The alarm bells heralded as attempts to contact the shipperer via radio. A sent pilot transfer then found that the tanker bridge was vacant - the skipper was sleeping in the cabin! The pilot immediately jumped in and steered the ship into the channel lock. The Brunsbüttel water protection police took over the investigation and found a breath alcohol value of 1.04 per thousand with the skipper. For him it was the end of the journey - his shipping patent was confiscated, and only the following day the tanker was able to continue his trip to Kiel with a new tour.