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CatastropheGermany

Germany: North Sea ship collision leaves 5 dead

October 25, 2023

Two cargo ships collided in rough weather in the North Sea off the coast of Germany. One sailor was pulled dead from the water after the accident, and four others are presumed to have died after a search was called off.

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The freighter "Verity" off Kiel.
The Verity ship collided with Polesie, with the former believed to have sunkImage: Dietmar Hasenpusch Photo-Productions/dpa/picture alliance

Two cargo ships collided in the North Sea off the coast of Germany on Tuesday, approximately 22 kilometers southwest of Helgoland Island and 31 kilometers northeast of Langeoog Island, emergency services said. 

German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies (CCME) said that the two freighters involved in the collision were named the Polesie and the Verity, the smaller of the two vessels, which sank after the collision. 

One dead body was pulled from the water near the collision site after the accident, whereas two people were rescued, according to the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS).

An hours-long search for four missing sailors from the smaller Verity vessel was called off on Wednesday morning. The CCME said later Wednesday that the four missing sailors were presumed dead. 

CCME chief Robby Renner told German media that there was "no hope" of finding the four missing sailors alive. 

A spotlight shines on the sea at night
A cruise ship used a search light before sunrise in an attempt to locate survivors Image: P&O/PA Media/dpa/picture alliance

What do we know about the collision?

The British-flagged Verity was en route from Bremen in Germany to Immingham in England. The Verity was carrying steel and it had 1,300 cubic meters of diesel on board, the spokesperson said.

CCME chief Renner added Wednesday that around 90 liters of diesel fuel had so far leaked from the wrecked ship. 

The collision happened in a very busy area for shipping, a spokesperson for Germany's Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency said Tuesday. 

Central Command Spokesman Benedikt Spangardt told the Tagesschau news program Tuesday that they were no longer receiving a signal from the Verity ship, which led them to assume it had sunk.

Several vessels — including a cruise ship in the area — and a German navy helicopter assisted in the search and rescue operations.

Meanwhile, the Polesie, registered in the Bahamas, is still afloat with 22 crew members on board. It was traveling from Hamburg to La Coruna in Spain.

Germany's Transport Minister Volker Wissing expressed his sympathy to crew members, family members and rescue teams.

Emergency tugs and divers had also been deployed to look for signs of life from the four missing crew members of the Verity, a spokesperson for the Central Command said. 

The freighter "Polesie" departs Rotterdam on 14.6.13.
The Polesie remains afloat, with 22 crew members on boardImage: Dietmar Hasenpusch Photo-Productions/dpa/picture alliance

The search took place amid "relatively challenging weather conditions", DGzRS spokesman Christian Stipeldey said Tuesday. 

ss, rmt/ab,wmr (AFP, dpa, Reuters)

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