Status: 11.11.2023, 15:59 PM
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Search for missing sailors from the sunken freighter "Verity", which was found on October 24 after a collision. © The Sea Rescuers – DGzRS/dpa
On 24 October, the freighters "Verity" and "Polesie" collided in the North Sea. The "Verity" sank. Divers are now to check whether there are leaks on the wreck - and whether there are any dead bodies on board.
Heligoland - The diving operation on the sunken "Verity" southwest of Heligoland began on Saturday afternoon. "A diving vessel and a tugboat have now arrived in the wreck area," said a spokeswoman for the Directorate-General for Waterways and Shipping. The diving ship is fixed there with anchors, three divers are ready. A tugboat is to secure the work.
According to the authority, the divers are also checking whether there are still dead sailors on board the sunken ship. The shipowner's insurance company is in contact with the Hamburg public prosecutor's office, according to the General Directorate of Waterways and Shipping.
On 24 October, the two freighters "Verity" and "Polesie" collided in the North Sea. The "Verity" sank. Authorities believe that five seafarers died in the accident, four of them aged between 43 and 47 are still missing.
The emergency services now want to shorten the two masts of the wreck. According to the authority, the water column above the mast is around 15 meters. "The concrete technical implementation will be decided on site," said the spokeswoman for the Directorate-General for Waterways and Shipping. In addition, experts are to investigate whether there are leaks on the wreck that require action. Initially, two working days are planned for the assignment.
The Waterways and Shipping Authority (WSA) is accompanying the work, and the multi-purpose vessel "Mellum" of the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration will be in operation. In addition, the Wilhelmshaven Traffic Centre monitors the area with radar and the AIS system, which ships use to exchange navigation and ship data. Dpa