One person was killed in the sinking of a cargo ship – DW – 10/24/2023

Two cargo ships collide in the North Sea Germanywith one person killed and four still missing from the crew of the smaller ship, which is now believed to have sunk.

According to the German Central Command for Maritime Emergency Situations, the accident occurred on Tuesday morning about 22 kilometers southwest of the island of Helgoland and 31 kilometers northeast of the island of Langeoog.

Central Command said the two cargo ships involved in the collision were the Polesie and the Verity.

What do we know about collision?

One body was recovered from the collision, while two people were rescued, according to the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS).

The search for the other four Verity crew members continues.

Central Command spokesman Benedikt Spanghardt told Tagschau that they were no longer receiving a signal from the Ferretti ship, leading them to assume it had sunk.

The ship “Verity”, flying the British flag, was on its way from Bremen in Germany to Immingham in England.

Several ships search for missing people

Several ships – including a cruise ship in the area – and a German Navy helicopter are assisting in search and rescue operations.

Meanwhile, the vessel Policy, registered in the Bahamas, remains afloat with a crew of 22 on board. She was traveling from Hamburg to La Coruna in Spain.

German Transport Minister Volker Vissing expressed his sympathy to the crew members, their family members and the rescue teams.

He said that many state agencies came together to rescue the missing, including the General Directorate of Scientific Research and the Water Police, along with emergency tugs, other helpers and work teams.

ss, rmt/ap (AFP, dpa, Reuters)