Cargo ships collide in the North Sea: One dead, four missing

A collision between two cargo ships in the North Sea has resulted in one fatality, with four individuals still missing, according to German authorities.

The collision occurred in the waters off the coast of Germany.

The incident involved two cargo ships, namely the British-flagged Verity and the Bahamian vessel Polesie.

Reportedly, the collision transpired around 5:00 local time (3:00 GMT) on Tuesday morning. Both ships were engaged in their respective journeys when the collision occurred. The Verity was en route from the northern German city of Bremen to Immingham in the UK, while the Polesie had set sail from Hamburg, destined for La Coruña in Spain, reported AFP.

As a result of the collision, the Verity is believed to have sunk, while the Polesie remains afloat. Of the seven crew members on board both ships, two have been successfully rescued, leaving one casualty and four individuals still unaccounted for.

The incident unfolded off the coast of Heligoland, which is part of the state of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany.

In response to the emergency, the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service (DGzRS) has deployed two sea rescue cruisers, a German navy helicopter, and a water police boat to assist in search and rescue efforts. Additionally, a nearby cruise ship is also contributing to the search mission.

German Transport Minister Volker Wissing expressed gratitude to the rescue crews in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter). He underscored that every conceivable effort is being exerted to locate and rescue the missing individuals.

The exact cause of the collision has not yet been determined.