Drought leaves unlucky shipper high and dry

BERLIN -- Stuck with his barge on the Elbe river for five months, Polish captain Wladzimierz Rosik has to be one of the unluckiest victims of Germany's summer drought.

Rosik, 57, ran aground near Schnackenburg southeast of Hamburg in March -- when river levels were high -- after he steered the empty ship out of the deepest part of the river. Now, Europe's hot dry summer has virtually stopped freighter traffic on the Elbe -- and left Rosik's ship high and dry amid grass and weeds.

"It's ready to sail. We just need to wait for water," Rosik told The Associated Press by telephone Monday. "I'm not even upset anymore. What can I do?"

Not much for now: The river levels are currently at three feet, and the barge needs at least 15-feet depth to steam away. Several salvage attempts failed when water levels were higher and Rosik is fighting with the ship's insurers over who should pay.

Though his livelihood is on hold and his family waits back in Poland, Rosik says he is not abandoning ship. He still has drinking water in the tank and diesel for the generator, and the mayor of Schnackenburg has offered to help if they run out.

Only rain -- lots of it -- can help, and Rosik admits he has no idea when he'll be afloat again.

"It's a lottery," he said.