At the Kiel Fjord On 31 October 2026, around 130 emergency doctors and rescue workers practised responding to a mass-casualty incident (MANV) at sea. The location was the historic paddle steamer Freya. The event was organised by the Forum of Senior Emergency Physicians of Schleswig-Holstein, with support from regional emergency services. The aim was to bring together medical care on board, handovers on shore and coordination between incident command teams under realistic conditions.
Several scenarios simulated people with minor, serious and critical injuries at the same time. Teams practised triage in confined spaces, stabilising patients and coordinating with the shore-based control centre. Particular attention was paid to transfers between the ship and the pier, including securing stretchers, transferring patients into ambulances and managing the timings up to hospital admission.
According to the organisations involved, communication between the senior emergency physician, the ship’s crew, maritime rescue units and hospitals was central to the exercise. Radio discipline, standardised situation reports and clear lines of responsibility were tested. The organisers noted that conditions at sea—limited space, the movement of the vessel and the weather—make decision-making and logistics significantly more difficult.
The major exercise followed training courses run by the Forum of Senior Emergency Physicians Schleswig-Holstein that have focused more closely on maritime incidents since this year. The practical exercise on the Kiel Fjord also served as the final component of a course on emergencies involving mass casualties at sea. A systematic review of the results and any areas where changes may be needed has been announced; specific performance figures and identified shortcomings are expected once the follow-up review is complete.
In terms of operational responsibility on the fjord, the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service complements the response to emergencies at sea, while, for example, the Kiel Fire Brigade is responsible for bringing casualties ashore and for other emergency-response tasks. Exercises like this are intended to strengthen the interfaces between the two areas and prevent delays in distributing patients.
The organisations involved see the main benefits in three areas: better prioritisation in confined conditions, tested transport chains between ship and shore, and reliable communication channels between maritime services, the fire brigade and hospitals. The organisations responsible will decide, after the review now under way, whether the findings lead to structural changes or further maritime exercises.
The operational area in Kiel and the particularly high traffic density on the Kiel Fjord make for a challenging environment. The procedures practised are intended to strengthen the resilience of emergency care in Schleswig-Holstein when many people need treatment within a short time following an incident at sea.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).