HDMS ESBERN SNARE

General information

Course/Position

Latest news

German and Danish units shadowing Russian ships in the Baltic Sea

On March 17, 2025, the 'Esbern Snare' was shadowing two Russian landing ships, which have been involved in the retrieval of military equipment withdrawn from Syria since Dec 2024. The "Aleksandr Oktrakovski" was sailing south of Bornholm and headed west. The reason was unclear. The operation in Syria is actually considered over. The ships are equipped with large anchors, which actually intended to make it easier for ships to leave the beach during amphibious operations. However, since traces of anchors have repeatedly been found in connection with severed submarine cables in the Baltic Sea, authorities have paid particular attention to the Russian Navy's large tank landing ships. According to maritime law, there is a specific corridor that Russian Navy ships are permitted to use through the North and Baltic Seas. However, this route passes very close to German and Danish wind farms, including various power and data cables, that's why Denmark's Navy paid particular attention to the "Aleksandr Otrakovski" and dispatched the frigate from Korsør to escort the ship from Bornholm. Off Rügen, the German task force vessel "Bamberg" participated in observing the Russian ship. The units moved behind the landing ship so that they could see the anchor at the stern using night vision technology. Off the Fehmarn Belt, the task force vessel "Bayreuth" replaced the "Bamberg," and the patrol boat "Rota-P 525'" took over the "Esbern Snare"'s duties on the Danish side. According to the Federal Police, there were no incidents. The landing craft passed Puttgarden on Fehmarn on Feb 18 at 6 a.m. It was the third Russian naval vessel within a few days. On March 13, the destroyer "Severomorsk" and on March 17, the research vessel "Admiral Vladimirsky," suspected of conducting hybrid warfare, were shadowed. The next Russian units in these sea areas are expected on March 20, including the landing craft "Ropucha" and the "Aleksandr Shabalin," which has been shadowed by the Federal Police ship "Potsdam" in the North Sea west of Sylt since the morning of March 18, which means that three of the Federal Police's seven ships are currently engaged with the Russian Navy, posing challenges for the police, which are being met jointly in close cooperation with neighbouring authorities and international partners in these. Report with photos: https://www.kn-online.de/schleswig-holstein/russlands-marine-beschaeftigt-bundespolizei-zeitgleich-auf-nordsee-und-ostsee-SX264H6GIZBGBHD42VI3K7AL5I.html

Frigates allided in Frederikshavn

The Danish frigates 'Absalon' (IMO: 9284441) and 'Esbern Snare' were in allision in the morning of Feb 23 at the naval station Frederikshavn in connection with a storm, which developed hurricane force gusts, sweeping across the northern and western parts of the country. No people have been injured. The 'Esbern Snare' broke lose from its moorings, after which the frigate drifted into the 'Absalon'. It only resulted in minor damage to the two warships. The 'Esbern Snare' was towed back ito its berth.

Fire in Frederikshavn

In the afternoon of Sep 29, 2016, a fire broke out in the engine room of the "Esbern Snare", which was docked at the naval base at Frederikshavn, where the vessel was undergoing an overhaul. While using a cutting torch some materials have been ignited. The fire was rated as minor. When the Frederikshavn fire rescue arrived, the vessel's own fire-fighting teams already had started to fight the fire and kept it from spreading. The two teams extinguished the fire together. All personnel had been evacuated from the support ship. The interior now had to be cleaned before work could be continued. Danish report with photos: http://nordjyske.dk/nyheder/krigsskib-i-brand/d99b657a-25f2-4177-8dce-ecc6b898c2ef/4/1513