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One dead after ships collide in North Sea – officials

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According to German authorities, a collision between two cargo ships off the North Sea coast of Germany has resulted in one fatality, with four others reported missing. The incident, involving the British-flagged Verity and the Bahamian Polesie, occurred at approximately 5:00 local time (3:00 GMT) on Tuesday morning.

The Verity, traveling from Bremen, Germany to Immingham, UK, is believed to have sunk, while the Polesie remains afloat. The collision occurred near Heligoland, part of the state of Schleswig-Holstein.

Rescue efforts involving the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service, a German navy helicopter, water police boat, and a nearby cruise ship are underway.

The cause of the collision remains unknown, and German Transport Minister Volker Wissing has expressed gratitude to the rescue teams for their efforts in locating the missing crew members.

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Survivors point fingers at Greek coastguard for Greece boat tragedy

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Survivors of the migrant boat tragedy off Greece’s coast accuse the Greek coastguard of causing the sinking of the overcrowded fishing vessel. The incident, which occurred on June 14, is considered one of the worst humanitarian disasters in recent Mediterranean history, with an estimated 750 people on board, mainly from Pakistan, Syria, and Egypt.

Of the total, 104 individuals survived, while 82 bodies have been recovered. The identities of the four survivors who spoke to the BBC have been verified through multiple sources, but they have chosen to remain anonymous for their safety.

The survivors, some of whom are being held at the Malakasa refugee reception center, alleged that the Greek coastguard was towing the boat when it sank in a deep area of the Mediterranean, approximately 80km (50 miles) off the Greek coast. The Greek authorities have denied these claims, stating that when they attempted to secure the vessel with a rope to assess the situation, some individuals on board resisted, expressing their desire to continue the journey to Italy.

The survivors reported being pressured by Greek officials not to speak to the media about the incident or to blame the Greek coastguard. The Greek authorities declined to comment, citing an ongoing official investigation into the sinking.

The German NGO Sea-Watch, which conducts rescue operations in the Mediterranean, commented that towing an old vessel with a large number of people under such conditions is a risky endeavor and likely to result in a disaster. The survivors also disputed the allegations against the nine Egyptians accused of people trafficking, stating that they were passengers, not smugglers.

The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has called for urgent action to prevent further deaths at sea, emphasizing the importance of search and rescue operations and the establishment of safe regular pathways in the Mediterranean. According to UNHCR figures, approximately 80,000 people have crossed the Mediterranean to reach EU states this year, with an estimated 1,200 deaths or disappearances during the journey.

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Julian Sands: Remains found in California area where British actor disappeared

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Human remains were found by hikers near the location where British actor Julian Sands went missing. The San Bernardino County sheriff’s department in southern California announced that the identification of the remains would be completed by next week.

Sands, known for his roles in films such as “A Room With A View” and TV shows like “24” and “Smallville,” disappeared on January 13 while hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains, north of Los Angeles. The 65-year-old actor, originally from Otley, West Yorkshire, went missing in the Baldy Bowl area during inclement weather.

The sheriff’s department confirmed that civilian hikers reported the discovery of the human remains in the Mt Baldy wilderness but did not provide further details.

Sands’s family expressed gratitude to the search teams and coordinators who dedicated their efforts to finding him, and they remembered him as a beloved father, husband, explorer, lover of nature and the arts, and a talented performer.

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