Sinking of the Baltic Ace in the North Sea: Belgian and Dutch resources engaged (maj3)

(BRUSSELS2) Rescue operations have been launched to come to the aid of the crew of the Baltic Ace, which sank on Wednesday evening (December 5) after a collision with another ship, the Corvus, a container ship flying the Cypriot flag, about 65 km off the coast of South Holland (Zuid-Holland). The Baltic Ace, a Greek freighter flying the flag of the Bahamas and carrying cars had left the port of Zeebrugge in Belgium bound for Kotka in Finland.

On board, 24 crew members (figure still to be specified). 11 among them would be of Polish nationality, according to the PAP agency (six are survivors). The other sailors are Bulgarian (one survivor), Ukrainians and Filipinos.

13 survivors, 5 dead, 6 missing

13 sailors were recovered very quickly: some by the Corvus, others by military and civilian means, Dutch and Belgian, mobilized on the spot under the coordination of the Dutch coast guard from Den Helder. They were transported, some to the Erasmus hospital in Rotterdam, the others to hospitals in Ostend and Veurne in Belgium, hypothermic but alive.

At 22:30 p.m., 11 sailors remained missing. With fairly slim hopes of getting them all back. The sea is strong (with waves of force 6 to 7 and a water temperature of 10°). But above all, not all sailors would have survival suits. According to the rescuers, the survival time would be three hours. Peter Verburg, of Dan Helder's coast guard, confirmed overnight that 4 bodies had been recovered. The search was suspended at 2 a.m., the coast guard said. They resumed in the morning. This made it possible to fish out a 5th body. 2 Polish sailors, 1 Ukrainian sailor and 2 Filipinos are among the dead. There are 6 missing. The search was again interrupted, this time definitively, on Friday evening.

Ships and helicopters mobilized

Eight vessels, including three Dutch Sea Rescue Society (KNRM) vessels and two navy vessels, the Friesland and groningen, as well as 1 maritime patrol aircraft and 4 helicopters, including a Dutch Defense AB 412 SP and two people Sea Kings from the Belgian air base of Koksijde, were mobilized for search and rescue operations at sea.