Seven seafarers have been saved after jumping into the sea off Denmark following a collision between their general cargo ship and a reefer on Friday.
The 5,000-dwt Helge (built 2013), owned by Sweden’s Erik Thun, took on water after the incident involving the 500,000-cbf Wild Cosmos (built 1998) in the North Sea.
Initial reports said the vessel had sunk, but Erik Thun told TradeWinds its latest information suggested the ship was “partially submerged”.
“We continue to monitor its situation and have arranged for tug assistance,” the owner added.
Manager MF Shipping Group said later on Friday the ship remained afloat off the coast of Denmark.
The crew are in a “good” condition and their families have been notified, it added.
“Managers continue to monitor the status of Helge with a vessel of the Danish Coast Guard attending on site. A tug is expected to arrive on scene shortly followed by a team of salvors who have been contracted and will make a first assessment of the vessel’s integrity and stability,” MF said.
The exact cause of the collision is yet unknown. A full investigation will follow.
The crew members were picked up by a Royal Danish Navy helicopter.
The captain was taken to hospital with cuts from broken glass, but his injuries were not serious.
The accident happened 37km off Ringkobing on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula.
According to Danish broadcaster DR, the navy received a distress call at 05:40am (03:40 GMT).
The navy said it sent several ships and two helicopters to the site and the rescued crew members were flown to a hospital in Esbjerg, west Denmark, for medical checks.
There were no reports of major damage, pollution or casualties on the Wild Cosmos, which is operated by Ost-West-Handel of Germany.
“Following the incident, the master has taken the decision to evacuate the vessel. All crew are safe and accounted for,” a Thun spokeswoman said.
Emergency response teams assemble
“Immediately after the incident, all relevant authorities have been informed. MF Shipping Group’s emergency response teams have assembled in the office and are providing assistance and support to the crew of Helge and Danish authorities.”
The two ships were sailing in the same direction when the collision occurred.
The Wild Cosmos was on its way from Durban in South Africa to Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. The Helge was en route from Antwerp in Belgium to Porsgrunn in Norway.
It was not immediately clear what cargo was on the two ships.
The weather was reported to be rough in the area, with waves of up to five metres, meaning there has been no opportunity to salvage the Helge, which is entered with the Gard P&I club in Norway.
VesselsValue assesses it as worth $8.45m.
