GERMAN WARSHIP A516

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

Russian landing ship en route to the North Sea shadowed close to German waters

On Dec 9, 2024, the 'Donau' along with the Danish patrol vessel 'Rota' was shadowing the "Aleksandr Shabalin", the last landing ship of the Russian Baltic Fleet, which had left its home port of Baltiysk in Kaliningrad and was sailing through the Danish straits into the North Sea. There were initial suspicions that the units could be used to supply Russian troops and evacuate high-quality material from Syria. The landing ship came close to German waters near Rügen on ther morning of Dec 10 and then passed the Fehmarn Belt at high speed. The Russian Navy's tug "Yevgeniy Churov" followed shortly afterwards. The Danish Navy ended its surveillance near Skagen on the morning of Dec 11. The patrol boat "Najaden" turned away.

Engine failure in English Channel

The 'Donau' with a crew of 65 on board suffered an engine failure on April 1, 2020, during a NATO exercise in the English Channel north of Le Havre. The tug 'Wangerooge' was deployed from Wilhelmshaven on April 2 at 8.30 p.m. to take the ship in tow to the base in Wilhelmshaven for repairs. The tender was part of the Standing Mine Countermeasures Group 1 (SNMCMG 1) since January.

Commander of tender medevaced

The commander of the "Donau" fell seriously ill in the morning of Sep 14, 2016. The ship was east pf Bornholm at that time. A Seaking helicopter of the Spanish Navy was dispatched from the fregate "Mendez Nunez" which was takein part in the manoever Northern Coast too. The helicopter medevaced him to the university hospital in Greifswald. The tender could continue the participation in the manoever as a deputy was on board who took over the command.