On November 4, 2026, the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court in Hamburg heard expert and investigative testimony regarding the September 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines, focusing on how investigators tracked the vessel used in the attack and the lethal danger the blasts posed to maritime traffic.
Testimony on Maritime Danger from Underwater Explosions
Mario Oertel, a water engineering specialist from the Bundeswehr University Hamburg, testified before the court regarding the hydrodynamic consequences of the explosions on September 26, 2022. According to Oertel, small vessels on the Baltic Sea would have had absolutely no chance of survival if caught above the blast zone. Yachts and sailing ships between 12 and 15 meters in length would likely capsize or sink when positioned directly over the resulting bubble plume and water fountain.
Reporting from n-tv.de notes that the initial gas release at a depth of up to 80 meters reached an estimated 165 cubic meters per second at the seafloor. The surface gas-water mixture spanned roughly 500 by 600 meters, featuring a central fountain rising up to 20 meters high. Oertel explained that oxygen-starved zones near the surface created severe risks of drowning and suffocation for anyone thrown overboard.
Larger vessels faced different hazards during the initial phase. According to n-tv.de, medium-sized cargo freighters and large container ships would likely not sink, but their operational stability, maneuverability, and cargo security would face significant, safety-relevant disruptions.
Did You Know? Die Nord-Stream-Pipelines begannen am 6. September 2011 erstmals damit, Gas von Russland nach Lubmin zu leiten, nachdem der Bau jahrelang umstritten gewesen war.
BKA Investigation Traces the Andromeda Yacht
A Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) investigator testified on Wednesday about how authorities identified the primary suspects. A tip from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, received weeks after the attack, indicated the sabotage team used a boat rented in Rostock. Investigators subsequently interviewed every conceivable boat rental agency until only one high-seas-capable sailing yacht remained: the Andromeda.
Nord Stream trial: How German police followed the evidence – to Ukraine https://t.co/dWK410Qofn
The 15.5-meter vessel features six cabins and capacity for up to eleven passengers. According to the BKA testimony, the yacht was rented in late August 2022 for a total price of 11,000 euros. The rental contract was signed using a Romanian passport that investigators consider forged. The renter stipulated that no external skipper and no tracking system be placed aboard.
The Andromeda was returned to its Rostock rental company on September 23, 2022—three days before timed explosives detonated along the Nord Stream pipelines. Pipeline pressure in one line dropped to 16 bar within ten hours, while the other line reached hydrostatic equilibrium within seven hours.
Charges Against Serhii Kusnetzow
The sole defendant currently on trial is Serhii Kusnetzow, a 50-year-old officer and soldier in the Ukrainian army. Prosecutors allege he led the sabotage team in September 2022, just weeks after Russia launched its war of aggression against Ukraine. Kusnetzow was captured in Italy last year and faces multiple charges, including war crimes for employing prohibited methods of warfare through attacks against civilian infrastructure.
The defense unsuccessfully petitioned the court to dismiss the proceedings against the Ukrainian officer. Following a decision by the Hamburg Higher Regional Court, the trial is restricted strictly to examining the individual guilt of the accused.
Expert Insight: The Hamburg trial underscores the complex intersection of wartime sabotage and civilian maritime safety.
Hamburg Court Extends Trial Hearings Through June 2027
The state security senate in Hamburg originally scheduled 24 trial hearings running through late January. On Wednesday, the court added another 19 main hearing dates, extending the proceedings through June 2027.
The trial is scheduled to continue on Thursday. Another BKA investigator is expected to present evidence recovered during the forensic search of the Andromeda yacht, and a representative from the Federal Network Agency is slated to testify regarding the exact impact of the explosion on Germany’s gas supply security.
Details of the Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage Trial
When did the Nord Stream pipeline explosions occur?
The explosions took place on September 26, 2022, causing natural gas to leak from the subsea pipelines that transported Russian gas to Germany.
How much did the rental of the Andromeda cost?
The 15.5-meter sailing yacht used by the suspected saboteurs was rented for a total price of 11,000 euros starting in late August 2022.
Who is standing trial in Hamburg for the sabotage?
Serhii Kusnetzow, a 50-year-old Ukrainian army officer, is on trial facing charges that include war crimes for allegedly leading the sabotage team.