An extensive search for four crew members missing from a British ship that sank after it collided with a larger vessel in the North Sea off the German coast at 3am on Tuesday morning has been abandoned.
Two of the seven crew on the British-registered Verity were rescued from the water, following the collision with the Bahamian Polesie. The body of a third man was found some 13 miles south-west of the German archipelago of Heligoland.
Sea rescue cruisers from the German maritime search and rescue service, a German navy helicopter and a police boat were used in the search effort, along with a P&O cruise ship, the Iona, which also took part. Rescue divers were also brought in to search the wreck for any signs of life within its confines, but difficult conditions hampered the operation, before it was called off.
