An international search operation in the Baltic Sea has been concluded without locating a passenger who fell overboard from a Polish ferry near the German (Rugen Island) port of Sassnitz.
The incident occurred on Sunday, December 28th, on the ropax ferry Skania (1995-built, IMO 9086588), operated by the Polish company Unity Line.
The vessel was en route from Ystad (Sweden) to Swinoujscie (Poland).
According to information provided by Unity Line, the ship issued a MOB/man-overboard alert after a witness reported that a passenger had entered the water. The individual was identified as a Polish national. Unity Line indicated that the circumstances surrounding the overboard were not immediately clear and remained under investigation.
Maritime rescue efforts were initiated at approximately 4:00 p.m. and involved authorities from Poland, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden. Sea and air assets were deployed across the area off Sassnitz as part of the coordinated operation.
Poland’s Maritime Search and Rescue Service dispatched a helicopter from Darlowo; however, it did not reach the scene before the search was terminated.
Officials later confirmed that the operation had already been called off by the time the Polish helicopter approached the search area. Sea conditions at the time were reported to be unfavourable, with weather described as deteriorated following a recent storm, which affected visibility and operational effectiveness.
Unity Line confirmed that the search was concluded at 6:21 p.m. after several hours without results. The company also noted that another Unity Line vessel, Polonia, which was operating nearby, participated in the search efforts.
Following the conclusion of the operation and after a delay, Skania continued to Swinoujscie. The ferry, which has capacity for approximately 1,400 passengers, 260 cars, and 50 freight vehicles, arrived at its destination without the missing passenger. The incident remains subject to further review by the relevant authorities.