German authorities have initiated an investigation into an incident involving TUI Cruises' ship Mein Schiff 4, which reportedly entered a restricted area in the Baltic Sea. The occurrence took place on September 5th as the vessel was en route from Kiel Germany to the Gdynia Poland, passing through the Fehmarn Belt (strait connecting Kiel Bay and Mecklenburg Bay).
Accoridng to the police, the 293-meter/960-feet long ship unintentionally entered a restricted zone designated for the floating dredger 'Manta' at ~10 pm local time. This area is presently designated for hydraulic construction projects as part of the Baltic Sea Tunnel between Germany and Denmark.
A police spokesperson explained that the cruise vessel had proceeded on its course through the restricted area designated for the floating dredger 'Manta' without altering its direction, leading to the commencement of criminal proceedings. The suspicion revolves around negligently endangering shipping traffic. Additionally, authorities are investigating whether there was a violation of maritime regulations related to the use of prohibition signs.
The situation escalated when Schiff 4 and the excavator on the dredger came within ~150-180 m/ 490-590 ft of each other. Recognizing the imminent danger posed by the approaching cruise ship, the dredger's crew promptly released the anchor chains, allowing Schiff 4 to safely pass over them.
Fortunately, the police have determined that the anchor chains did not pose any further risk to the safety of both vessels.
In response to the incident, authorities conducted inquiries on board Mein Schiff 4 in Kiel on Sunday, September 10th. The primary focus of the investigation is to reconstruct the voyage preparations and ascertain whether there was any deviation from the planned route during the journey.
The outcome of the investigation will provide insights into whether any negligence or violations occurred during the cruise ship's passage through the restricted area in the Baltic Sea.