Jet ski crashes into Gdańsk breakwater, three stranded on star blocks rescued by municipal guard and SAR
A water scooter struck a breakwater near the mouth of the Wisła Śmiała river on Sunday, leaving three people stranded on concrete star blocks as waves pounded around them. Municipal guards and SAR crews evacuated all without serious injuries, while a nearby vessel rescued a driver from a second sunken scooter.
The accident
On Sunday, 19 July, at 17:30, municipal guards patrolling the Martwa Wisła in Gdańsk picked up a distress call on the maritime VHF channel. A passing boat reported a serious accident near Zielona Główka, at the mouth of the Wisła Śmiała river in the Górki Zachodnie neighbourhood. A water scooter had crashed into a breakwater, and three people were cut off from a safe return path, taking shelter on concrete star blocks.
Waves were crashing around them, and the damaged scooter was drifting on the rough water.
The situation was extremely dangerous. The municipal guard later noted that any careless move could have ended with a fall into the water between the massive elements of the breakwater.
Rescue operation
Municipal guard motorboat SM 04 was the first to reach the scene. The boat, purchased for nearly 500,000 PLN under the Civil Protection and Civil Defence Programme with government funds channelled through the Pomeranian Voivode, is used for patrols on the Motława, Martwa Wisła and Wisła Śmiała. Shortly afterwards, a crew from the Maritime Search and Rescue Service (SAR) joined the operation.
One person was transported to shore together with the damaged scooter. At the same time, SAR rescuers evacuated the remaining two people, a mother and her son, from the star blocks to the rescue station in Górki Zachodnie. Despite the enormous stress and very dangerous circumstances, all those involved escaped without serious injuries.
- Municipal guards patrolling the Martwa Wisła pick up a VHF emergency call about a jet ski accident near Zielona Główka.
- Boat SM 04, purchased under the Civil Protection Programme, reaches the scene first.
- The Maritime Search and Rescue Service (SAR) crew arrives to assist.
- One person and the damaged scooter are transported to the shore.
- SAR rescuers bring the remaining two people, a mother and her son, from the star blocks to the Górki Zachodnie rescue station.
- The crew of the Marinero II pulls the female driver of a sunken second scooter from the exit channel, moments before a large tanker passes.
A second scooter and a narrow escape
Captain Marcin Ortel of the vessel Marinero II, who had called for help, later provided a more detailed account to Dziennik Bałtycki. According to Ortel, two jet skis were involved. One sank, leaving two people in the water.
We picked up its female driver onto our vessel directly from the exit channel of Górki Zachodnie. A moment later, a large tanker with a tugboat passed through that exit, so it could have been very bad.
The riders of the second scooter tried to help the other person from the sunken machine, but they suffered a breakdown themselves and ended up on the hydrotechnical stones.
With a metre-high wave from the north, that is very dangerous. We tried to help the second crew, but seeing we couldn't manage alone, we called SAR on channel 14 as per procedures.
After the municipal guard and SAR units arrived, the Marinero II left the area and transported the female driver to shore.
Aftermath and warnings
The municipal guard stressed that the outcome was fortunate but warned that water does not forgive mistakes. They appealed for caution, especially near breakwaters and river mouths, where conditions can change very quickly. A moment of prudence, they said, can prevent a tragedy.
