25 people rescued from sinking sailing ship off Vlieland coast

The fire department and rescue society KNRM rescued 25 people from a sailing ship that threatened to sink off the coast of Vlieland on Thursday night. Everyone made it safely to shore.

The rescue happened around 11:00 p.m. on Thursday, according to NOS. The ship - Leafde fan Fryslân - had a leak in the bow and was quickly taking on water.

The KNRM took the passengers on board to shore while the fire department kept the ship afloat. Firefighters pumped water from the three-master and patched the leak. The vessel was stabilized, and the two-person crew was confident they could get it to port, a spokesperson for the fire brigade told RTL Nieuws last night.

Charter schip "Leafde fan Fryslân" krijgt alle hulp die nodig is vanaf #Vlieland @knrmvlie en #BrandweerVlieland. Allemaal #vrijwilligers, #hulde daarvoor. 👍 pic.twitter.com/FLvApdzUjQ

— Anke Bruin-Kommerij (@Anke_op_Vlie) May 18, 2023

The Leafde fan Fryslân is used for parties and sailing cruises, among other things, according o the Frisian Sailing Company’s website. The ship has 12 luxury double cabins and serves food.