Isle of Man Registry response to fatal collisionIsle of Man Registry response to fatal collision

In the second of two statements issued yesterday relating to the collision and sinking in the German Bight of the 3,360 dwt general cargo ship, Verity, early yesterday morning, the Isle of Man Registry said it was ‘deeply saddened’ at confirmation from the German authorities that one seafarer had been lost.

Two others had been rescued by the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service and transferred to hospital for emergency treatment, the Registry said, and were currently reported to be doing well. Four other seafarers are still missing.

The other vessel, the 38,069dwt Polesie, flying the Bahamas flag, remained afloat. All 22 of her crew are safe.

The 91m-long Verity, with a crew of seven, had left Bremen at about 2000 local time bound for Immingham in the UK. Eight hours later she was involved in the collision with the handysize bulk carrier.

The German Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre received the alarm just before 0500 local time and the search and rescue operation was immediately launched.

The statement said: “The Isle of Man Ship Registry would like to pass on our heartfelt thanks to the six German Maritime Search and Rescue Service cruisers, namely the Hermann Marwede, Bernhard Gruben, Anneliese Kramer, Hermann Rudolph Meyer, Theo Fischer, Nis Randers and others involved in the ongoing search and rescue operation.”

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The Registry said that under a Memorandum of Understanding, the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch will now conduct a casualty investigation into this tragic incident.