Verity: Loss of British cargo ship and five crew ‘wholly avoidable’
A sailor responsible for the navigation of a British cargo ship involved in a fatal crash in the North Sea accepted “inappropriately close passing distances”, an investigation has found.
Five people died when British-flagged Verity sank after hitting a larger cargo ship, Polesie, about 14 miles (22.5km) south-west of the German island of Heligoland on October 24 2023.
While the larger, Bahamas-flagged Polesie stayed afloat, the Verity, which had departed from Bremen and was destined for the port of Immingham on the east coast of England carrying steel coils, became submerged.
A report into the accident by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch highlighted “significant shortcomings” with the watchkeepers on both vessels.
It stated: “Both watchkeepers were willing to accept inappropriately close passing distances given that their room for manoeuvre was not overly constrained by navigational hazards or limited by other traffic.”
The report found that the intervention of German vessel traffic services was late and inappropriate.
It also concluded that the use of very high frequency radio may have assisted in resolving the situation earlier.
Andrew Moll, chief inspector of marine accidents, said: “The tragic loss of Verity and five crew was wholly avoidable.
“Neither vessel applied the regulations for preventing collisions diligently, and they accepted passing close to each other when there was no need to do so.
“Give-way vessels must take early, substantial action that is clearly visible to others and results in passing at a safe distance.
“Vessel traffic services provide vital safety information to ships using traffic separation schemes, but operators must consider whether their interventions are timely and appropriate, particularly when the outcome might be uncertain.
“Finally, very high frequency radio can help clarify intentions and resolve developing situations, but only if used correctly and with caution.”