Wieringen Fishing Trawler Found Near Sylt After Nearly 60 Years Missing

After a decades-long search, divers have finally located the Wieringen fishing trawler WR-6 near the German island of Sylt. The discovery brings long-awaited closure to the families of the three crew members who lost their lives when the ship disappeared in January 1967.

The trawler was en route to Sylt for shrimp fishing when it was caught in a violent storm and sank. Months later, the body of crew member Simon Lont washed ashore on the German island of Amrum. The other two bodies were never found.

For 59 years, the families had no idea where the trawler lay. In recent years, specialists searched multiple times but always in the wrong locations. Diver Bert Kremer insisted on searching near the North Frisian island of Sylt, and that turned out to be the right call.

"I've been working on this with others for seven years," Kremer said. "At some point I knew from memory exactly what the ship looked like and what its distinguishing features were."

The wreck was known to the German navy but was believed to be 25 meters long. "It turned out to be 18 meters - exactly the length of the WR-6." The vessel was definitively identified last weekend based on its characteristics.

Gert Lont, son of one of the WR-6 crew members, is closely involved with the Maritime Missing Persons Investigation Foundation. "Not knowing keeps gnawing at you," Lont said. "Indescribable, after so many years. The book can close. We're going to celebrate with eel and a drink."

"This is the most beautiful find," said Cees Meeldijk of the foundation. "Now Gert can finally find closure and get the answers he's been seeking all these years."