Passenger ferry 'Funny Girl' towed to Cuxhaven after engine failure near Helgoland

The DGzRS emergency rescue cruiser "Hermann Marwede" initially took the ferry under tow toward the mainland, as landing on Helgoland was not possible given the conditions. Stipeldey described the towing operation as exceptionally difficult, citing the size of the vessel and the weather at sea.

Stormy seas complicate the tow

Speaking to NDR, Stipeldey said: "Tatsächlich haben wir sehr herausfordernde Bedingungen für eine Schleppfahrt mit einem Schleppanhang dieser Größe. Die 'Funny Girl' ist 68 Meter lang und auch entsprechend schwer. Wir haben dort draußen bis zu sieben Windstärken vorhergesagt. 50, 60 km/h Windgeschwindigkeit sind das, bis zu drei Meter Seegang und Wind gegen Strom."

After about two hours, the salvage tug "Nordic," a significantly larger vessel, took over the tow toward Cuxhaven. Around 18:00, the commercial tug "Wulf 4," accompanied by another tug, assumed responsibility for the tow, as the "Nordic" is only deployed in absolute emergencies. From the evening onward, the DGzRS rescue cruiser "Hans Hackmack" observed and accompanied the towing operation at close range, while "Hermann Marwede" returned toward Helgoland.

Rescue workers faced stormy conditions on the North Sea, with westerly winds of up to force 7 on the Beaufort scale, wind speeds of 50 to 60 kilometers per hour, and sea swells reaching three meters. Conditions eased once the convoy entered the Elbe estuary.

Larger tug takes over

The "Funny Girl" reached the port of Cuxhaven at approximately 22:15, and all passengers and crew disembarked safely. In Cuxhaven, the vessel is to undergo a technical inspection, according to Adler & Eils. The shipping company said the ferry would remain out of service at least on Sunday and Monday.

The operator arranged for the passenger ferry "Helgoland" to take over the return trip from Helgoland, which it completed to Cuxhaven on Saturday evening. From Cuxhaven, the "Fair Lady" then departed for Büsum, which it reached late in the evening. Online tickets will be automatically refunded, and tickets purchased from advance sale points will be rebooked or paid out.

Helgoland marathon proceeds unaffected

The breakdown came on a busy weekend for Helgoland, which on Saturday morning hosted a relay marathon involving 50 schools from Schleswig-Holstein and roughly 500 students. Organizer Klaus Jens said each team consisted of three boys, three girls, one parent, and one teacher. Among the primary schools, the Landschule an der Eider Wattenbek (Kreis Rendsburg-Eckernförde) won, and the Johanneum Lübeck won in the other category.

The cause of the failure is believed to be a technical defect, most likely an engine fault (Motorschaden). The shipping company said it was attending to the needs of passengers following the incident.

Cause and aftermath

DGzRS officials stressed that the operation, while complex, proceeded as planned once the larger tugs had taken over. The chronically ill passenger was among those brought ashore in Cuxhaven, where medical personnel were on standby.

Authorities have not reported any injuries. The "Funny Girl" is 68 meters long, and the sea state, with waves of up to three meters and wind against tide, complicated the early stages of the tow before conditions improved closer to the mainland.