A sea rescue cruiser ship being used in the search for survivors after a collision between two cargo ships in the North Sea. AFP
A sea rescue cruiser ship being used in the search for survivors after a collision between two cargo ships in the North Sea. AFP
A sea rescue cruiser ship being used in the search for survivors after a collision between two cargo ships in the North Sea. AFP
A sea rescue cruiser ship being used in the search for survivors after a collision between two cargo ships in the North Sea. AFP

One dead and several missing after two cargo ships collide in North Sea


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

One person has died and several are missing after a British cargo ship collided with a larger vessel in the North Sea, near Helgoland off the German coast.

The ships, Polesie and Verity, crashed about 22km south-west of the island at about 5am on Tuesday, the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said.

One of them, the British-flagged Verity, is believed to have sunk. It was carrying steel, according to a spokesman for its owner, Faversham Ships.

The German Central Command said one body had been recovered and two people rescued in a search.

Seven were on board the Verity, it said in a statement, and added that the search for those still missing was continuing.

“We are now doing everything humanly possible to rescue more people alive,” the head of the emergency command, Robby Renner, said at a news conference in Cuxhaven.

A signal from the ship was lost at about 5.20am, suggesting that it had already gone down, and wreckage was found.

“The central command assumes that the Verity sank due to the incident,” the statement said.

“It was possible to rescue one person from the water and they are receiving medical attention. Several other people are currently missing.”

The Verity is believed to have sunk, with most of its crew still unaccounted for. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Verity is believed to have sunk, with most of its crew still unaccounted for. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The water temperature at the time of the accident was about 12°C, which humans can survive for about 20 hours, said Michael Ippich of the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service.

“The conditions on the spot are extremely difficult,” he said. “Because of the weather and visibility under water, it's incredibly difficult to conduct such an operation.”

Several rescue ships and aircraft taking part in the search had not located the missing crew members by midafternoon.

Rescuers were considering the possibility that they were still inside the Verity, and planned to send divers down to the wreck at a depth of about 30 metres to check for signs of life.

“The emergency services are doing everything they can to rescue the missing people,” German Transport Minister Volker Wissing said.

“My thoughts are with the crew members, their relatives and the rescue teams who have been in action since early this morning.”

Two rescue cruisers, an emergency tug, a pilot boat, a police patrol boat and a helicopter are helping with the search.

The P&O cruise ship Iona, which is in the area, has also been involved. It has doctors on board and could treat people if needed, the emergency command said.

More medical personnel are being taken to the scene by helicopter.

The search is taking place in difficult conditions, with winds of more than 40kph and waves reaching as high as three metres, the agency said.

The Polesie, which had 22 people on board, was still afloat after the collision. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
The Polesie, which had 22 people on board, was still afloat after the collision. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Verity was headed from Bremen, Germany, to the English port of Immingham.

The other ship, the Bahamas-flagged Polesie, which was travelling from Hamburg to La Coruna in Spain, remained afloat with 22 people on board.

The Verity is about 900 metres long and can carry 3,360 tonnes of cargo, fuel, crew and other materials. It was previously assisted by UK and Netherlands rescue teams after its engine failed off the coast of Devon in February 2016, according to Vessel Finder. At that time it had a crew of seven sailors.

The Polesie is double the length and has about 10 times the carrying capacity compared to the smaller ship, according to the website Vessel Finder.

The accident comes weeks after a ship with hundreds of electric cars on board caught fire in the North Sea off the coast of the Netherlands.

The Fremantle Highway was sailing between Bremerhaven in Germany and Port Said in Egypt when the blaze broke out in July.

The accident occurred close to Ameland, part of an archipelago of ecologically sensitive islands situated in the Waddenzee area.

One person died and several were injured.

Efforts to tow the ship to shore were complicated by poor weather but it was eventually brought to the northern port of Eemshaven.

What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?

The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.

The%20trailblazers
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UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist

The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

Milkman by Anna Burns

Ordinary People by Diana Evans

An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Circe by Madeline Miller

Quick pearls of wisdom

Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”

Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.” 

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Arsenal v Manchester City,

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6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah (PA) | Group 2 | US$55,000 (Dirt) | 1,600 metres

Winner: AF Al Sajanjle, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)

7.05pm: Meydan Sprint (TB) | Group 2 | $250,000 (Turf) | 1,000m

Winner: Blue Point, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

7.40pm: Firebreak Stakes | Group 3 | $200,000 (D) | 1,600m

Winner: Muntazah, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson

8.15pm: Meydan Trophy Conditions (TB) | $100,000 (T) | 1,900m

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Winner: Poetic Charm, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

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10pm: Handicap (TB) | $175,000 (T) | 2,410m

Winner: Mountain Hunter, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor

SPECS
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ENGLAND%20SQUAD
%3Cp%3EFor%20Euro%202024%20qualifers%20away%20to%20Malta%20on%20June%2016%20and%20at%20home%20to%20North%20Macedonia%20on%20June%2019%3A%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EGoalkeepers%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Johnstone%2C%20Pickford%2C%20Ramsdale.%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDefenders%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Alexander-Arnold%2C%20Dunk%2C%20Guehi%2C%20Maguire%2C%20%20Mings%2C%20Shaw%2C%20Stones%2C%20Trippier%2C%20Walker.%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EMidfielders%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bellingham%2C%20Eze%2C%20Gallagher%2C%20Henderson%2C%20%20Maddison%2C%20Phillips%2C%20Rice.%0D%3Cbr%3E%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EForwards%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFoden%2C%20Grealish%2C%20Kane%2C%20Rashford%2C%20Saka%2C%20Wilson.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
INDIA SQUAD

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TECH%20SPECS%3A%20APPLE%20WATCH%20SE%20(second%20generation)
%3Cp%3EDisplay%3A%2040mm%2C%20324%20x%20394%3B%2044mm%2C%20368%20x%20448%3B%20Retina%20LTPO%20OLED%2C%20up%20to%201000%20nits%3B%20Ion-X%20glass%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EProcessor%3A%20Apple%20S8%2C%20W3%20wireless%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ECapacity%3A%2032GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EMemory%3A%201GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPlatform%3A%20watchOS%209%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EHealth%20metrics%3A%202nd-gen%20heart%20rate%20sensor%2C%20workouts%2C%20fall%2Fcrash%20detection%3B%20emergency%20SOS%2C%20international%20emergency%20calling%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EConnectivity%3A%20GPS%2FGPS%20%2B%20cellular%3B%20Wi-Fi%2C%20LTE%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%2C%20NFC%20(Apple%20Pay)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EDurability%3A%20Water%20resistant%20up%20to%2050m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EBattery%3A%20269mAh%20Li-ion%2C%20up%20to%2018h%2C%20wireless%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ECards%3A%20eSIM%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EFinishes%3A%20Aluminium%3B%20midnight%2C%20silver%2C%20starlight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%20Watch%20SE%2C%20magnetic-to-USB-C%20charging%20cable%2C%20band%2Floop%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EPrice%3A%20Starts%20at%20Dh999%20(40mm)%20%2F%201%2C119%20(44mm)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Five hymns the crowds can join in

Papal Mass will begin at 10.30am at the Zayed Sports City Stadium on Tuesday

Some 17 hymns will be sung by a 120-strong UAE choir

Five hymns will be rehearsed with crowds on Tuesday morning before the Pope arrives at stadium

‘Christ be our Light’ as the entrance song

‘All that I am’ for the offertory or during the symbolic offering of gifts at the altar

‘Make me a Channel of your Peace’ and ‘Soul of my Saviour’ for the communion

‘Tell out my Soul’ as the final hymn after the blessings from the Pope

The choir will also sing the hymn ‘Legions of Heaven’ in Arabic as ‘Assakiroo Sama’

There are 15 Arabic speakers from Syria, Lebanon and Jordan in the choir that comprises residents from the Philippines, India, France, Italy, America, Netherlands, Armenia and Indonesia

The choir will be accompanied by a brass ensemble and an organ

They will practice for the first time at the stadium on the eve of the public mass on Monday evening 

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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

HOW TO WATCH

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Updated: October 24, 2023, 2:10 PM