Global Courant
Rescue ships are searching for survivors in the area where the accident occurred, German authorities say.
German authorities say one person has died and four others are missing from the crew of a cargo ship that sank after colliding with another vessel in the North Sea.
Two other crew members were rescued early Tuesday after the collision, said Christian Stipeldey, spokesman for the German Sea Rescue Society (DGzRS).
The accident happened about 22 km southwest of the island of Heligoland and 31 km northeast of the island of Langeoog, Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies (CCME) said in a statement.
Several ships are currently involved in a rescue operation in the area, the agency said.
“The emergency services are doing everything they can to rescue the missing people,” German Transport Minister Volker Wissing said in a statement.
“My thoughts are with the crew members, their families and the rescue teams who have responded since early this morning.”
The ship, Verity, was flying a British flag and was en route from Bremen in Germany to the British town of Immingham.
The other ship, Polesie, was flying the flag of the Bahamas and was en route from Hamburg, Germany to La Coruna, Spain.
Wrist team crew in good condition
The Verity, owned by British company Faversham, was the smaller ship at 91 meters (about 300 feet) in length, compared to the 190-meter-long (623 feet) Polesie – owned by Polish shipping company Polsteam.
Krzysztof Gogol, a spokesman for Polsteam, confirmed that 22 crew members were on board and said they were uninjured and in “good physical condition.”
Shortly after the collision, the Polesie stopped and took part in the search and rescue operation, Gogol said.
Rescue cruisers, an emergency tugboat, a pilot boat, a police patrol boat and a helicopter are assisting in the search, according to the CCME.
A P&O cruise ship that was in the area, the IONA, is also involved, the CCME added.
“People can also receive medical care on board the IONA; There are doctors on board,” it said.
The search took place in difficult weather conditions, with strong winds and waves up to 3 meters high, the agency said.
