Cargo Ship Collision in North Sea Leaves One Dead, Four Missing

British-flagged Verity collides with Bahamian Polesie near Heligoland, Germany; rescue efforts including divers, helicopters, and a luxury cruise ship are ongoing.

The collision occurred between the British-flagged Verity and the Bahamian-flagged Polesie around 5:00 local time on Tuesday morning, off Germany's North Sea coast, resulting in at least one death and four crew members missing.
The Verity, travelling from Bremen to Immingham in the UK, is believed to have sunk after the collision, while the Polesie, which was heading from Hamburg to La Coruña in Spain, remained intact.
Rescue efforts have been ongoing, with a German navy helicopter, a water police boat, two sea rescue cruisers, and a luxury cruise ship named Iona, which was heading from Hamburg to Rotterdam, all contributing to the efforts.
The German Maritime Search and Rescue Service and police divers were unable to find the missing people during the initial search, possibly due to high winds, 10-foot waves, strong currents, and reduced visibility underwater.
Overnight attempts to locate the missing sailors yielded no results, prompting German authorities to halt the search operation, with the statement issued that there was 'no hope' of finding the four missing crew members alive.
The Polesie, registered in the Bahamas, remained afloat with its crew of 22 unaffected by the collision. It reached the German port of Cuxhaven under its own steam.