Divers have begun exploring the sunken freighter “Verity” off Heligoland. A spokeswoman for the General Directorate of Waterways and Shipping said in the evening that they went into the water for their first dive.
According to the authority, the divers are checking, among other things, whether there are still dead sailors on board the sunken ship. On October 24th, the “Verity” and the freighter “Polesie” collided in the North Sea. The “Verity” sank. Authorities believe that five sailors died in the accident. Four of them are still missing.
The diving operation on the sunken “Verity” southwest of Heligoland began in the afternoon. A diving ship was anchored there and a total of three divers were standing by. A tugboat secured the work.
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 specific technical implementation will be decided on site,” said the spokeswoman for the General Directorate of Waterways and Shipping. In addition, experts should investigate whether there are leaks on the wreck that require action. Two working days are initially planned for the deployment.
The Waterways and Shipping Office (WSA) is accompanying the work, and the multi-purpose ship “Mellum” from the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration will be in use. The Wilhelmshaven traffic center also monitors the area with radar and the AIS system, with which ships exchange navigation and ship data.
