Because Turkey closed the borders: German sailors are stuck in the Aegean alone
The skipper got stuck in the Aegean during a boat flyover. The ports around are closed. The toilet paper is still enough and there is enough rum.
The German sailor Sebastian Kummer got stuck in the Aegean with his sailing catamaran. The Lagoon 46 flyover was supposed to go from Les Sables-d’Olonne to Göcek, but Turkey closed the border due to the Corona crisis and so grief is stuck for now.
What started on February 18 as a trip with friends ended on March 9 with the news that Italy cannot be started as a “red zone” due to the Corona virus. The friends in the Balearic Islands hurriedly scanned and Kummer sailed the Kat from there alone.
In a fifteen-minute watch, he circled Italy and made it to the Aegean. But Greece and Turkey had just closed their ports.
As a German citizen, he is not allowed to enter Turkey and cannot clear Greece with the Turkish flag.
Now the 57-year-old skipper is bobbing on lonely bays alone on the luxurious catamaran. It could get worse, you think – and Sebastian Kummer agrees.
No shortage of rum and toilet paper
The situation is not problematic for him at first. The professor for transport economics and logistics from the University of Vienna can organize very well. So far, he thinks his food situation is good.
According to his own assessment, he will be able to make do with the food that was actually bought for the entire crew for about two months.
Only water and gas are a little tight. But the rum doesn't run out, and toilet paper is also sufficient on board.
"I can't imagine a nicer place than a sailboat to be in quarantine". he says. Since the head of the institute is free for the summer semester, he forwards the institute from a distance and accompanies the students in the home office. Fortunately, the internet connection works very well.
Sebastian Kummer doesn't want to be a burden for anyone at the moment. Nor does he believe that he is in an emergency right now. Nevertheless, he thinks that a ship should actually be offered a safe haven in such a situation under international maritime law. Until then, he is in good hands on the brand new Lagoon 46.
This article was written by Kerstin Zillmer
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