As of: October 24, 2023 10:01 p.m
Two ships collided between Langeoog and Helgoland and the freighter “Verity” sank. One crew member is dead and four others are missing. The search is expected to continue until after midnight.
“The water temperatures, which are currently around twelve degrees Celsius, give the rescue workers the chance to meet survivors up to this point,” said the accident command in Cuxhaven. The authority is in charge of overall operations. If there are still no signs of life from the four castaways, the search should be stopped.
Another dive to the wreck planned in the evening
If conditions are right, there should be another dive to the sunken freighter at a depth of around 30 meters on Tuesday evening. The rescuers there are hoping for a sign of life from the missing people. A first dive in the afternoon was unsuccessful, as the accident command announced. It was initially not known whether the second dive took place and with what result. According to the accident command, the conditions under water are difficult. According to the information, visibility on the wreck is only one to two meters.
Freighter collision occurred off Heligoland
The two cargo ships “Verity” and “Polesie” collided on Tuesday morning at 4:55 a.m. around 22 kilometers southwest of Heligoland and 31 kilometers northeast of Langeoog. How the accident could have happened is unclear. As the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked Persons (DGzRS) announced, the “Verity”‘s signal disappeared at 5:20 a.m. It can be assumed that it has fallen at this point, said Michael Ippich from the DGzRS. The first pieces of wreckage were discovered around 6:30 a.m.
videos
Difficult conditions for rescuers on site
According to the accident command, there were seven people on board the “Verity”. In addition to the dead man, two crew members were reportedly rescued alive. The accident command is considering that the four missing sailors may be inside the sunken freighter. There was only a narrow time window for the dives to the wreck in the so-called backwater between low and high tide.
videos
Several ships involved in searches in the North Sea
According to the DGzRS, the search for the missing people on the surface of the water will continue at night using thermal imaging cameras and night vision devices. Several ships and three helicopters are involved in the search operation. It is expected to continue until after midnight. “Everything is being done to ensure that we find the missing people,” said Ippich.
Cold sea water is life-threatening
According to the DGzRS, the North Sea has a temperature of around twelve degrees. According to Ippich, experience has shown that people can survive in them for around 20 hours. But that also depends on the physical constitution – and whether the crew members were able to put on a cold protection suit or life jackets, he said. When water temperatures are below 15 degrees, we speak of “cold water,” explained Jens Kohfahl to NDR Lower Saxony. He is a former doctor at the DGzRS and specialist advisor to the emergency command. If a person falls into the water without protective clothing at these temperatures, they will begin to hyperventilate and may also inhale water. The cold also has a direct effect on the muscles. There is a lack of strength to stay afloat independently. After half an hour there is a risk of unconsciousness due to the cold.
AUDIO: Emergency crew: Four people still missing after collision (4 min)
“Polesie” towed to Cuxhaven
The second ship involved in the accident, “Polesie”, is still afloat despite the collision and initially took part in the search operation. The freighter was on the route from Hamburg to La Coruña in Spain. According to the accident command, he drove towards Cuxhaven under his own power in the evening. According to current information, the 22-person crew is said to be uninjured, but is receiving psychological care.
Area is closed to shipping traffic
The collision between the two freighters occurred in one of the busiest sea areas in the world – two internationally established shipping routes run in an east-west direction in the German Bight, as a spokeswoman for the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) said. The area is closed to shipping traffic.
1,300 cubic meters of diesel on board the “Verity”
According to the sea rescue service, the “Verity” left Bremen on Monday evening around 7 p.m. for Immingham in Great Britain. The ship was carrying steel, but no dangerous goods. Nevertheless, there is a danger to the environment, as the accident command announced. The ship has 1,300 cubic meters of diesel fuel on board, said Renner. A multi-purpose ship is on site to pick up pollutants. Images from the BSH exploration ship “Atair” showed that the wreck did not break apart, said Renner.
“Verity” much smaller than “Polesie”
The “Verity” sails under the British flag. The 91 meter long and 14 meter wide freighter was built in 2001. It has a capacity of 3,360 tons. The Bahamas-flagged bulk carrier “Polesie” is much larger than the “Verity”: at 190 meters long and 29 meters wide, the ship is more than twice as large and has a capacity of more than 38,000 tons. The “Polesie” was built in 2009.
Further information
