German tanker capsizes in the Rhine River, two missing

German tanker capsizes in the Rhine River, two missing

2011-01-14 03:33:20 GMT+7 (ICT)

KOBLENZ, GERMANY (BNO NEWS) -- A German tanker carrying sulfuric acid capsized on the Rhine River on Thursday and two crew members are missing, Der Spiegel magazine reported.

Rescue efforts are currently under way as authorities are looking for the two missing crew members in the freezing waters of the Rhine River. The cause of the overturn has not been disclosed.

The accident took place on Thursday morning as the tanker carrying 2,400 tons of sulfuric acid was traveling from Ludwigshafen in southern Germany to Antwerp in Belgium.

Authorities informed that the acid has not leaked from the ship. The river's downstream was tested and no corrosives were identified. In the event that the sulfuric acid would leak into the Rhine, it would become highly corrosive but poses limited harm as the high tide and fast current would quickly dilute the acid.

Rescue workers are using a helicopter equipped with a thermal imaging camera to search for the missing individuals in the icy waters. Rescuers said that the water temperature was around 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit).

Due to the low temperature, the missing men could not be expected to survive long. Two others who survived the accident were transported to a local hospital and were reported to be in a stable condition.

The 110-meter long vessel, named "Waldhof", is currently stranded near the town of St. Goarshausen on the eastern bank of the Rhine. The narrow bend has witnessed many maritime accidents caused by its strong currents and a rocky bottom.

St. Goarshausen is home to the well-known Lorelei rock, a picturesque site which has been the inspiration for songs and poems as its name comes from the mythical mermaid who lured fishermen to their deaths by singing beautiful songs.

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