Container ship runs aground off German North Sea island

Authorities say a container ship has run aground off a German North Sea island, and an initial attempt to free it was unsuccessful

Germany Ship Accident ((c) Copyright 2018, dpa (www.dpa.de). Alle Rechte vorbehalten)

A container ship has run aground off a German North Sea island, and an initial attempt to free it was unsuccessful, authorities said Thursday.

Shipping company Maersk said on Twitter that the 400-meter (1,310-foot) -long Mumbai Maersk ran aground on a “shallow patch” on Wednesday night. It said that “all crew are safe, there is no pollution and no sign of hull breach.” It said that the entrance to the major port of Bremerhaven wasn't obstructed.

Germany's Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said several tugs and other ships were sent to assist the vessel during the night and a team of specially trained sailors went aboard, German news agency dpa reported. It said there were no injuries, but a first attempt to move the ship into deeper water failed.

The emergency command said it would have to wait for high tide to make another attempt to move the ship, which ran aground about 6 kilometers (4 miles) north of the island of Wangerooge. The ship was en route from Rotterdam to Bremerhaven.

Maersk said that “extra tugs are being deployed and a new attempt to free Mumbai Maersk is expected later today.”