Two shipyard workers arrested for attempting to sabotage multiple German navy warships

Two workers, a 37-year-old Romanian and a 54-year-old Greek, were arrested by the Hamburg police and public prosecutor for sabotaging navy corvettes at the Hamburg port. They allegedly manipulated various systems on military ships in 2025, including pouring gravel into engines and damaging water and fuel lines, as well as disabling safety switches and "manipulating" electronics. The acts were discovered during a routine inspection of the corvette "Emden."

Authorities fear the sabotage could cause significant damage and threaten Germany's military readiness. Investigations continue to identify possible collaborators or who directed the men. The "Emden" is part of a series of five new corvettes ordered by the German military in 2017.