A tanker ship carrying 2,400 tonnes of sulphuric acid has capsized on the Rhine River near the rocky point known as the Loreley.
The ship went down close to St. Goarshausen not far from Mainz early Thursday morning for unknown reasons, the shipping authorities in Bingen reported. However, the spot is infamous for its treacherous currents.
Helicopters equipped with infrared cameras circled the area in what authorities described as a "frantic" search for the missing men.
The water police were able to rescue two other members of the crew, who have been taken to the hospital and are in good condition.
The ship, the Waldhof, has not yet been secured, but a police spokesman said the two-hull vessel was “aligned with the current” and there was no reason to believe any sulphuric acid, which is highly corrosive, had leaked into the river.
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