The 60-year-old diving inspector Paul Hinrichs becomes unemployed. Since he still has to take care of his two children and fears for his social security, he falsifies his date of birth in his papers in order to get the job in a Hamburg salvage company as a diver. But soon it becomes apparent that he has not grown up with the efforts of the profession. In addition, he is burdened with the fact that his daughter Lena falls in love with Manfred, a weak young diver, who threatens to lead away from crime due to a lack of money. Only when Manfred can prove himself in a dramatic rescue action and the old Hinrichs earns the respect of his work colleagues and superiors through a brilliant performance, things get back to normal.