Sea Dagger shipwreck on Hörnum's beach: salvage work begins!

Sea Dagger shipwreck on Hörnum's beach: salvage work begins!

An exciting but also worrying chapter in maritime history has unfolded on the beaches of Sylt. Parts of the sunken pilot boat “Sea Dagger” have been washed up on the main beach of Hörnum since October 11, 2025. The boat sank on September 25, 2025 in the immediate vicinity of the Dan Tysk wind farm, about 70 kilometers off Sylt NDR reported. Fortunately, the two crew members on board were rescued by another vessel and no injuries were reported.

The rescue work is in full swing. The municipality of Hörnum and the State Office for Coastal Protection, National Park and Marine Protection (LKN) are responsible for salvaging the cabin. However, a first attempt to salvage the wheelhouse with a tractor failed. According to the local water police, the wreckage poses no immediate danger to beach visitors, and the wheelhouse itself weighs a good one ton and is almost ten meters long.

Details about the accident

The pilot boat “Sea Dagger” was loaded with several 1 cubic meter tank containers, some of which were lost when it sank. Thanks to the accident command, which took over the entire operational management, six of these containers were recovered. These will now be handed over to land for disposal. In addition, a sensor aircraft was used to investigate the situation, and the multi-purpose ship MELLUM is on site to search for additional containers and to secure the wreck site Emergency Command.

The incident itself resulted in a comprehensive investigation by the Federal Maritime Police to clarify the cause of the accident. The question arises as to how this accident could have occurred and whether weather conditions may have also played a role.

Environmental aspects and outlook

From an environmental point of view, the situation appears to be under control Emergency Command has confirmed that there has been no environmental damage. However, there remains concern that additional parts of the “Sea Dagger” could possibly wash up in the coming days, which would then also have to be recovered.

Overall, this incident shows once again how important the measures in the area of ​​rescue and coastal protection are. The legal provisions surrounding salvage law, which are aimed specifically at preventing environmental damage and providing rapid assistance, are of great importance in maritime legislation. Rescue operations are often complex and require not only technical knowledge, but also good cooperation between everyone involved.

The coming days will show how the recovery of the “Sea Dagger” goes and whether further parts of the wreck will be discovered. Until then, the coastal protection authority will remain on board - and we hope that the work progresses well and that all beach visitors and the environment are safe.