During the night from Monday to Tuesday, there was a fire on the reconnaissance vessel "Alster" (Oste class 423), which is currently in the floating dock of the Norderwerft shipyard in Hamburg harbour as part of a scheduled repair.
According to initial information, there was a fire in an electrical distribution box. Crew members were able to extinguish the fire quickly. The fire brigade that was called out then checked the scene of the fire. The fire broke out at around 1.16 am, a fire service spokesperson told TAG24. As a precautionary measure, fireboats also travelled to the dock, but they were not needed.
According to the responsible Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), there was no damage to the unit and there were no injuries. The police are still investigating the cause of the fire.
Skills profile
The Bundeswehr has three so-called fleet service boats. In addition to the "Alster" (A50), these are the "Oste" (A52) and the "Oker" (A53). The ships were commissioned in 1988/1989 and are to be replaced by three newbuilds starting in 2029. Construction of the first unit began last year at Naval Vessels Lürssen (NVL). The estimated cost is 3.2 billion euros. Marineforum reported on 22 November 2024:
Fleet service boat "Oker" 2017 at the Arctic Circle. Photo: German Armed Forces
The Bundeswehr describes the fleet service boats as "highly sensitive eyes and ears" not only for the navy, but for the entire Bundeswehr, because they are equipped with electronic, hydroacoustic and electro-optical sensors for surveillance in sea and coastal areas. The exact details of the systems and sensors are, of course, classified. Once they have left their home port of Eckernförde and are in international waters outside of foreign territories, fleet service boats can operate freely on the world's oceans.
Their capabilities are therefore in constant demand in the constantly worsening security situation in the North and Baltic Seas. It would have been unthinkable if the Inspector General of the Bundeswehr had not cancelled the order to prematurely decommission the three SIGINT boats in 2010.
kdk, Tag24
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I hope things will get better for our girls and boys, who have to take the fall for the country in an emergency
This used to be done by the MAD. Military Counterintelligence Service. When we had a fire on board, they were there the next day.
Dear Mr 'LeCompte', thank you for your comment.
The MAD (Military Counterintelligence Service of the German Armed Forces) is always called in when there is suspicion of espionage or sabotage.
The editorial team
Sufficient security forces should once again be deployed for control, or are Putin's claws already taking hold here too?
So how should we imagine this when it is said that the police are still investigating? Is there no longer a military police force, which, as far as I know, is also responsible for securing crime scenes and evidence, but also for investigations?
Hello and thank you for the question.
In principle, the military police also have special investigation teams on standby. However, investigations by the military police are always prompted by the suspicion that a service offence or criminal offence has been committed by soldiers.
If a criminal offence is suspected, the responsible public prosecutor's office must always be consulted in Germany, which then carries out its own investigations (with fire experts) together with the state police.
Since 112 was dialled and the fire brigade was called to the civilian Norderwerft shipyard in Hamburg, this may be an automatic response. But we don't want to engage in speculation.
In the current tense situation, it can be assumed that all agencies involved in the German security situation are highly interested in the investigation. It is therefore rather unlikely that details will be published before the investigations are finalised.
The editorial team