Two dry cargo vessels collided in the North Sea early on Tuesday, with one of them likely sinking, one confirmed dead and another four seafarers missing, German authorities said.
The incident occurred at around 5am local time, 12 nautical miles (22 km) southwest of Helgoland and 17 nautical miles northeast of Langeoog Island.
According to Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies, the incident involved the 3,400-dwt general cargo ship Verity (built 2001) and the 38,100-dwt handysize Polesie (built 2009).
“The Central Command for Maritime Emergencies assumes at present that the Verity has sunk as a result of the collision,” the statement said.
One member of the Verity crew was pulled out of the water dead, two alive and the remaining four are missing, the German authorities said in an update.
The Polesie, by contrast — a ship owned by Szczecin-based Polsteam — can float. The Polish vessel has 22 seafarers on board.
Three German rescue ships are currently looking for survivors. The 184,100-gt Iona (built 2020), a P&O mega cruise ship in the area, is taking part in the search as well and offering medical facilities.
The UK-flagged Verity is listed under the ownership of UK-based Casper Chartering. It had been underway from Bremen, Germany, to Immingham in the UK.
The Polesie was sailing from Hamburg to La Coruna, Spain.
Managers at both Polsteam and Casper Chartering were not available for comment.
