Cargo ship Verity crash - latest: P&O passenger cruise diverted to help in North Sea search after fatal crash
Rescuers are racing to find several missing people
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Rescue divers are searching for signs of life on a British cargo boat that crashed and sank this morning as four sailors remain missing.
One sailor has died and two have been rescued, reveal German authorities.
The four missing crew members may be alive and sheltering inside the vessel on the sea floor, the spokesperson said during a press conference alongside the German maritime search and rescue service.
The ships, Polesie and Verity, collided in the early morning about 14 miles south-west of the island of Helgoland, Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said.
Verity was headed from Bremen, Germany, to the English port of Immingham. The other ship, the Bahamas-flagged Polesie, remained afloat with 22 people on board.
A P&O cruise called the Iona which was travelling from Hamburg is helping with the urgent rescue mission, confirmed officals.
According to reports, passengers were panicked when there was an onboard Captain announcement at 6am this morning.
A spokesperson for P&O Cruises said: “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 complies with international maritime law as well as being consistent with the company’s moral and legal obligations.”
Missing sailors ‘may be alive’ say German Maritime Search and Rescue service.
Divers are looking for signs of life on a freighter that sank in the North Sea after colliding with another vessel, a spokesperson for the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said on Tuesday.
The four missing crew members may be alive and sheltering inside the vessel on the sea floor, the spokesperson said during a press conference alongside the German maritime search and rescue service.
The Verity was carrying steel and had 1,300 cubic metres of diesel on board, the spokesperson added.
In Photos - P&O ship the Iona scanning the water near to where the British cargo ship Verity sank
What we know so far
One sailor has died and several others remain missing after a British cargo ship has reportedly sunk off the coast of Germany following a collision.
Two cargo ships crashed into each other in the North Sea, with a search currently ongoing for survivors.
One body has been recovered and another two people have been rescued, while four crew members remain missing.
Read the full report by Holly Evans here
One dead and several still missing after British cargo ship in crash in North Sea
One body has been recovered while a rescue operation is ongoing to find missing crew members
How many sailors were on the Verity?
Seven people had been on board the Verity, the central command said, adding that a search was ongoing for the four missing. The Polesie had 22 people on board, none of whom were injured, the central command said.
One rescued man was taken to a hospital on land and the other was on his way to hospital on board the German maritime rescue cruiser Hermann Marwede, it added.
One dead in North Sea cargo ship collision
One dead body has been recovered and two people have been rescued in a search and rescue mission after two freighters collided in the North Sea off the coast of Germany, the maritime emergency authority said today.
Seven people were on board the ship Verity, the Central Command for Maritime Services said in a statement, adding that the search was ongoing for the remaining four missing persons.
Number of people missing confirmed
Six people have been confirmed missing after one vessel sank in the early hours this morning say German authorities.
The ships, Polesie and Verity, collided in the early morning about 22 kilometers (14 miles) southwest of the island of Helgoland, Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said.One of the ships, the British-flagged Verity, is believed to have sunk.
The emergency command said one person was rescued from the water and was being given medical treatment, and rescuers were searching for more. It later said seven people had been on board the ship and six were missing, German news agency dpa reported.
P&O share update after their cruise joins rescue mission
The cruise liner Iona which was returning from Hamburg and headed towards Rotterdam is helping with the rescue mission.
According to reports, people on board were panicked when there was an announcement at 6am this morning alerting customers to what had happened.
A spokesperson for P&O Cruises said: “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 complies with international maritime law as well as being consistent with the company’s moral and legal obligations.
“Iona is scheduled to be at sea today and this event should have no impact upon tomorrow’s scheduled call to Rotterdam or the onward itinerary.”
German transport minister shares his support
Volker Wissing shared his gratitude to the rescue mission who have been searching the area since the early hours of this morning.
How big is the boat?
The sunken Verity ship is a substantial 91 meters (299 feet) long and 14 meters (46 feet) wide.
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