On the Water, On Guard: Polish Water Police in Swift Double Rescue

As the Baltic yachting season picks up speed, so too does the need for vigilance on the water. Last Friday, officers from the Gdańsk Water Police unit aboard patrol vessel SPORTIS PN 41 carried out two back-to-back rescue operations – a sharp reminder that even a calm-looking sea can turn unpredictable. Both interventions highlight a recurring issue in recreational sailing: vessels setting out without any working means of communication.

Kamil Kusier executive editor 30.06.2025, 10:40 Reading time: 2 min

Police patrol boat P N 41 speeds across the bay with shipyard cranes behind — fot. Pomorska Policja

In brief

The crew of the patrol boat SPORTIS PN 41 of the Water Police Station in Gdańsk carried out two rescue operations during a single shift on the Gulf of Gdańsk and Puck Bay. At around 12:30 p.m., near navigation buoy N-7, about 3 nautical miles from shore, a FIN class sailboat with a damaged mast and a 26-year-old sailor from Warsaw was towed to the beach area near Brzeźno Pier. At 4:20 p.m. near Osłonino, a catamaran with tangled rigging and two sailors from Kraków and Łódź was towed away. None of the three rescued sailors had any means of communication.

Solo Sailor, Broken Mast

The first incident occurred around 12:30 PM. Officers received a distress notification about a drifting FIN-class sailboat near navigation buoy N-7 in the Gulf of Gdańsk. The boat’s mast had snapped in heavy winds, leaving a solo sailor – a 26-year-old from Warsaw – stranded roughly 3 nautical miles offshore.

Though properly dressed in a dry suit and wearing a buoyancy aid, the sailor had no radio or phone on board. After coordinating with Gdańsk Port Authority, the police patrol reached the scene within 20 minutes and safely towed the vessel to the Brzeźno Pier shoreline.

Entangled Catamaran off Osłonino

Later that day, at 4:20 PM, while patrolling the Puck Bay near Osłonino, officers spotted two men on a catamaran signalling for help. The craft had capsized earlier, and tangled lines left it unable to manoeuvre in force 4 wind conditions. The sailors – from Kraków and Łódź – were both equipped with life vests and neoprene suits but again had no way to communicate their distress. After nearly two hours adrift, the pair were towed to safety. No medical assistance was needed.

Communication Is Not Optional

Both cases ended well, thanks to quick observation and decisive action by the water patrol team. But the underlying message remains: basic safety protocols are too often underestimated. Proper attire, buoyancy aids, and knowing how to recover from a knockdown are essential – but communication is your lifeline when trouble strikes.

Every skipper, sailing school, and charter operator should reinforce this message:

Don’t launch without a working VHF radio or, at minimum, a waterproof mobile device.

Also crucial: check marine forecasts, log your float plan with someone onshore, and ensure all on board understand emergency procedures.

Safety by Seamanship – and Support

The professionalism of the Gdańsk Water Police made the difference that day. But with more traffic on the water each season, the responsibility for maritime safety must be shared across the whole ecosystem – from training institutions to rental operators, skippers to crew.

Because in the end, even the most beautiful sail can turn into an emergency – and being able to call for help is not a luxury. It’s a seamanship essential.

Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier