Remains Discovered During Recovery Process of Freighter "Verity"
In October 2023, a catastrophic collision took place between two freighters in the North Sea, resulting in four sailors going missing. Unfortunately, official confirmation of one of these missing sailors' fate has emerged.
A couple of months after the dreadful collision between the "Verity" and "Polesie" freighters, a body was discovered. The German Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (GMHA) in Bonn reported this grim discovery. The sailor was found inside the salvaged rear part of the sunken "Verity."
The coastal motor ship "Verity" collided with the freighter "Polesie" on October 24, 2023, approximately 22 kilometers southwest of Helgoland and 31 kilometers northeast of Langeoog. The "Verity," under the Isle of Man flag and measuring 91 meters in length, sank following the collision. It was on a journey from Bremen to Immingham in the UK.
At the time of the accident, seven sailors were aboard the "Verity." Three of them are still unaccounted for, while the captain's body was recovered earlier. Two sailors were saved from the water immediately. The body now discovered was found inside a cabin, according to GMHA information. Later, the body was transported to Hamburg for further investigation. "The legal representatives of the remaining families were promptly informed about the discovery," a GMHA spokeswoman said.
The "Polesie," with 22 passengers onboard, remained afloat after the incident, as reported by the responsible salvage command in Cuxhaven at the time. The "Polesie," measuring 190 meters in length, was significantly larger than the "Verity."
On Friday, the 600-ton rear part of the ship was salvaged with a floating crane from a depth of about 40 meters. Subsequently, a targeted search for the remaining four sailors was to commence. According to GMHA, one of Europe's strongest floating cranes, the Hebo Lift 10 with a lifting capacity of up to 2,200 tons, was employed for this purpose.
The elaborate and costly salvage of the ship was preceded by numerous preparations, as announced by the authority. Initially, hazardous substances were extracted from the ship's tanks, and then the freighter's cargo, 187 steel strip rolls, could be salvaged. The entire wreck also posed a hazard to shipping due to its location.
The bow to be salvaged on Monday
To lift the wreck out of the water using the floating crane, it was divided into two sections underground by cutting. This process took nine hours. Chain slings were attached beneath the wreck sections, and divers installed pumps within the wreck to lower its weight during lifting.
The 580-ton front part of the ship, the bow, is scheduled to be lifted on Monday. "The weather conditions are favorable, allowing the operation to proceed as planned," a GMHA spokeswoman confirmed. The search for the other missing sailors will then continue. A restricted area with a radius of one nautical mile is in effect around the accident site until the completion of the salvage operation. The two wreck sections are to be towed to the Netherlands and disposed of responsibly.
Following the discovery of the body, official reports confirmed three sailors still missing from the "Verity." Despite the salvage of the bow and the restricted area around the accident site, no further signs of the missing sailors have been found as of yet. The combined deaths toll from the collision now stands at five sailors.
