North Sea: One dead after freighter collision, two sailors rescued

Near Helgoland
After a shipwreck on the North Sea: One sailor dead, two sailors rescued

Early on Tuesday morning, two cargo ships collided in the North Sea, reports the emergency command. The accident involving the cargo ships “Verity” and “Polesie” occurred around 5 a.m. around 22 kilometers southwest of the island of Heligoland and 31 kilometers northeast of the island of Langeoog. The accident command assumes that the “Verity” subsequently sank. A sailor has been found dead. Two more had been rescued and four were still missing, the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked Persons (DGzRS) announced at midday. “In the sea area there are wind forces of six Beaufort with a sea of ​​three meters,” writes the accident command. Six Beaufort corresponds to a wind speed of around 45 km/h. In addition, it was probably dark for a good three hours before sunrise. Despite the collision, the “Polesie” is afloat and has 22 people on board, according to the accident command.

Two sea rescue cruisers from the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked Persons (DGzRS), an emergency tug, a so-called pilot tender, a boat from the water police and a helicopter from the German Navy took part in the search for the missing people. The emergency command also had a sensor aircraft fly over the sea area. A cruise ship that is currently in the sea area also supported the search. The accident command said people could receive medical care on board the cruise ship. Doctors are on board. Additional medical personnel were to be flown to the scene of the accident by helicopter.

Search for sailors in the North Sea

According to P&O Cruises, the cruise ship is the “Iona”. The company told the German Press Agency that it is currently involved in a search and rescue operation near the German coast. “The incident is ongoing and the Iona’s cooperation is consistent with international maritime law and the company’s moral and legal obligations,” it said. The company did not provide any further details. The British newspaper “Sun” quoted a 24-year-old man on board the “Iona” with the words that the ship had left Hamburg the evening before and was about 200 meters from the scene of the accident. The passengers were woken up at 6 a.m. by the news that the crew was taking part in a search operation.

“Verity” and “Polesie”: unequal freighters

How the accident could have happened is still unclear. On freighters there are – in addition to the people who stand guard and look out on the bridge – technical aids such as radar and AIS that warn of a collision.

The “Verity” was 91 meters long, 14 meters wide and was on its way from Bremen to Immingham, a port on the English North Sea coast. The ship, built in the Netherlands in 2001, sails under the flag of the Isle of Man and also has its home port on the British island. It belongs to the British-Dutch shipping company Faversham Ships.

The “Polesie” is a 190 meter long and 28.5 meter wide bulk carrier – significantly larger than the “Verity”. The ship belongs to the Polish shipping company Polsteam Group, which is based in Stettin (Szczecin). It was built in China in 2009 and flies the Bahamas flag. It had been on its way from Hamburg to La Coruña in northwest Spain since Monday evening.

Emergency command in action

In Germany, the accident command is responsible for maritime emergency preparedness and accident management on the North and Baltic Seas. The authority is a joint institution of the federal government and the five northern German federal states. In the event of accidents on the North and Baltic Seas, it plans and organizes help for those injured, for example, in the event of contamination by pollutants and in the event of fires.

Note: This article is continually updated.

Sources: Announcement from the emergency commandDPA, AFP, “Marinetraffic.com” to “Verity”, “Marinetraffic.com” to “Polesie”, “Marinetraffic.com” on the “Iona”, “The Sun”, Profile of the “Verity” on the shipping company homepage.

tkr / with agencies