A British cargo ship sank in the North Sea this morning after colliding with another bulk carrier, leaving one dead and four missing. A P&O vessel was diverted to join the desperate search for the remaining crew members.
The British flagship “Verity” collided with another cargo ship “Polesie” about 22 kilometers southwest of the German island of Heligoland at around 03:00 this morning, the German Central Command for Maritime Relief said.
The 90-metre long ship carrying steel from Bremen in Germany to the British port of Immingham sank after the impact and rescuers launched a desperate mission to find the missing crew.
The P&O vessel Iona, which left Southampton three days ago for Hamburg, Rotterdam and Bruges in Belgium, has now joined the search for survivors.
However, it has since emerged that a man’s body has been found while four crew members remain missing, the German Sea Rescue Association said, adding that two other people were rescued from the water alive.
Rescue workers are still desperately searching for the four remaining crew members, but the search in the fifteen degree Celsius North Sea is complicated by wind speeds of 50 km/h, three meter high waves and poor visibility due to fog.
Passengers on board the Iona told MailOnline they were woken at 5.30am by an emergency announcement from the captain about the accident. One said everyone was “panicked”.
The 90-metre long ship, which was en route from Bremen in Germany to the British port of Immingham, sank after the impact and rescuers launched a desperate mission to locate several missing people. In the photo: rescue ships on site
The P&O vessel Iona, which left Southampton three days ago for Hamburg, Rotterdam and Bruges in Belgium, has now joined the search for survivors.
The British flagship “Verity” (file image) collided with another cargo ship “Polesie” at around 05:00 this morning about 22 kilometers southwest of the island of Heligoland, the Central Maritime Emergency Command of the Federal Republic of Germany said.
An image from Marine Traffic shows the two cargo ships coming dangerously close to each other before colliding
One holidaymaker, Gary Corbin, claimed the vessel found three bodies during the search. But the German Sea Rescue Association announced that a body had been recovered and two people had been rescued. Four more crew members are missing.
Another passenger, identified only as Mr. Johnson, who wanted to be identified, said he saw the P&O vessel scanning the water with floodlights this morning.
He said: “We are on holiday but this is a very tragic situation. “We cannot imagine how the people involved in the collision must be feeling, as well as the families of those who remain missing or their lives lost
The emergency order said all victims rescued from the water could receive medical care aboard the vessel Iona.
The other ship, the Bahamas-flagged Polesie, which left Hamburg for La Coruna in Spain, remained afloat after the collision with 22 people on board. The Verity was the smaller ship, being almost 90 meters long, compared to the Polesie’s 295 meters.
The P&O vessel Iona, which can accommodate 5,200 holidaymakers and 1,800 crew members, joined several ships in the search for Verity, including rescuers Hermann Marwede and Bernhard Gruben.
Verity’s owner, Faversham Ships Ltd, is based on the Isle of Wight and said it had no comment on the situation.
In 2017, another cargo ship called The Islay Trade, owned and operated by Faversham Ships, ran aground near Margate Harbour. According to a Maritime Accident Investigation Branch report obtained by The Times, the freighter’s lead bidder “became unsure of the vessel’s position and became overwhelmed.”
A passenger on board the Iona said he was woken by a distress call at 5.45am this morning and saw the Iona shining through the dark water as he walked on deck.
“Everyone was very scared and scared. Everyone panicked,” said Mr. Johnson told MailOnline.
“It was very dark, we had search beams coming from all corners of the vessel. There were terrifying noises and announcements as everyone tried to figure out what was going on.”
He added: ‘You never know what’s going to happen in the world. We all hope that the outcome is not even more tragic.”
Two rescue cruisers, an emergency tug, a pilot boat, a police patrol boat and a helicopter are assisting in the search
A view from the P&O vessel Iona shows the ongoing rescue operation with several ships on site
Mr Johnson, who saw the vessel scanning the water with a searchlight, said: “It’s a very tragic situation.”
A helicopter (photo) as well as an emergency tugboat, a pilot boat and a police patrol boat are also involved in the search.
Another passenger aboard the Iona, who wished to remain anonymous, said she was awakened by the vessel stopping. “The crew was called to their assembly points and that’s when I realized something was wrong.”
“It was only later that the captain announced that we were involved in a search and rescue operation with the German government.” I went outside and saw the searchlights in the water. We were all sad and worried and hoped they would find people.”
The passenger added: “It’s terrible what has happened and our thoughts are with those currently missing and their families. We are eagerly awaiting updates in the hope that more people will be found.”
“There is a very gloomy mood on board, we are all waiting for updates and praying for good news.”
Two rescue cruisers, an emergency tug, a pilot boat, a police patrol boat and a helicopter are assisting in the search.
A helicopter as well as an emergency tug, a pilot boat and a police patrol boat are also involved in the search.
The German emergency command said it also flew a sensor plane over the sea to obtain further information on Verity’s whereabouts.
The other ship, the Bahamas-flagged Polesie (file photo), remained afloat with 22 people on board
The P&O vessel Iona (file photo), which left Southampton three days ago for Hamburg, Rotterdam and Bruges in Belgium, has now joined the search for the survivors. The emergency order announced that the victims could receive medical care aboard the Iona
A spokesperson for P&O Cruises told MailOnline: “P&O Cruises Iona is currently involved in a search and rescue operation off the coast of Germany.”
“The incident is ongoing and Iona’s cooperation is in accordance with international maritime law and in line with the company’s moral and legal obligations.
“Iona will be at sea today and this event should have no impact on tomorrow’s scheduled call to Rotterdam or further route.”
This is a breaking news story, more to come…
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Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
