German rescue services on Friday evaluated whether to board a burning oil tanker in the Baltic Sea as emergency operations continued.
The Central Command for Maritime Emergencies, which took over the operation, said special teams from the northern ports of Kiel and Rostock were on board a rescue ship alongside the stricken Annika.
The tanker is located approximately 4.5 kilometers off the northeast coast of Germany.
The sea and airspace within a 3 nautical mile radius of the ship have been closed to traffic, the command said.
The fire broke out early on Friday on the ship, with 640 tons of heavy fuel oil on board.