Safety: DGzRS annual balance sheet - 85 missions for surfers and SUP paddlers

The German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) carried out more than 1,700 missions on the North Sea and Baltic Sea in 2025, 85 of which involved surfers and SUP paddlers.

In 2025, the crews of the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) were deployed more than 1,700 times on the North Sea and Baltic Sea with their 60 rescue cruisers and boats. The annual balance sheet for 2025 reveals that the sea rescuers helped almost 3,400 people. They alone rescued around 460 people from distress at sea or freed them from danger. Since the sea rescuers were founded more than 160 years ago, their statistics now include almost 87,800 rescued people.

• A visit to the DGzRS sea rescuers

In the past calendar year, the sea rescuers came to the aid of numerous fishing vessels and their crews and were deployed many times to help seafarers on merchant ships or passengers on ferries and passenger ships. Numerous water sports enthusiasts also relied on the help of the DGzRS in 2025. When asked by surf, the sea rescuers confirmed that 85 missions were carried out in the past calendar year in connection with surfers and SUP paddlers. Surfers were rescued from distress at sea in twelve cases and rescued from other "dangerous situations" in four missions.

The DGzRS is financed purely by donations and manages completely without state funding. Anyone interested in the work of the sea rescuers should also visit the ARD documentary series "The sea rescuers" is highly recommended. It shows first-hand operations and life on board at various stations as well as the work of the German Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Bremen, which is operated by the DGzRS. Two seasons with a total of 16 episodes can currently be seen in the ARD media library. The most recent episodes were released at the turn of the year.