2023-10-24 22:49:47
Two freighters collided off the North Sea island of Heligoland on Tuesday morning. One sailor was found dead, two were rescued, and four other crew members of the Verity were still missing, the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked People announced on Tuesday afternoon.
Julian Staib
Political correspondent for Northern Germany and Scandinavia based in Hamburg.
According to the accident command, which took over the operational management, the two cargo ships Polesie and Polesie collided on Tuesday morning around five o’clock in the German Bight about twelve nautical miles (22 kilometers) southwest of the island of Helgoland and 17 nautical miles (31 kilometers) northeast of the island of Langeoog Verity.
The search for shipwrecked people continues at night
The search for four missing sailors after the collision of two cargo ships on the North Sea near Heligoland will continue overnight. “The plan is to continue the search until after midnight,” said the accident command in Cuxhaven on Tuesday evening. “The water temperatures, which are currently around 12 degrees Celsius, give the rescue workers the chance to find survivors up to this point.” If there are still no signs of life from the four shipwrecked people, the search should be stopped.
Nobody knows how the missing sailors are equipped, said DGzRS managing director Ippich. People are repeatedly found alive in cold water, even after a long time. According to the sea rescue workers, based on experience, people could survive for up to 20 hours in water temperatures of around twelve degrees – but it also depends on the condition and clothing, such as a life jacket, of the injured person.
Three sea rescue cruisers from the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked People (DGzRS) continue to search for the missing people in complete darkness. A federal police ship, a customs boat, a water police ship and a pilot tender were also still in use, the accident command announced in the evening. They use thermal imaging cameras and night vision devices in their search.
Conditions at the scene of the accident “difficult”
According to the authority, the German Navy is also participating with three helicopters, the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency with a research vessel and the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration with a multi-purpose vessel.
Divers had previously searched for signs of life on the wreckage of the freighter “Verity”, which sank as a result of the collision, at a depth of around 30 meters – without success. A strong current that set in initially made further attempts impossible, it was said.
The freighter “Verity” off Kiel in October 2014. : Image: dpa
According to the accident command, the conditions at the scene of the accident remain difficult. “The wind is blowing at around five to six strengths, the wave heights are between one and two meters,” the authorities in Cuxhaven said.
Reasons for collision still unclear
In contrast to the Verity, the Polesie, which, according to the German Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked People, had 22 people on board, was only slightly damaged. The crew remained uninjured. The reasons for the collision of the two freighters in the German Bight were initially unclear.
At around 5:20 a.m. the “Verity” signal was lost, said Michael Ippich from the DGzRS management. “It had to be assumed that the ship sank at this point.” A good hour later, the first sea rescue cruiser from Heligoland was at the scene of the accident. Shortly afterwards the first pieces of wreckage were found.
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