Hamburg: Authorities said the two-man crew aboard a former pilot boat that ran into trouble Thursday evening in the North Sea, were rescued by a nearby ship before it sank. The regional shipping authority told dpa on Friday that it remains unclear what caused the 17-metre vessel, named NS Sea Dagger, to sink near an offshore wind farm west off the German island of Sylt. ‘Based on current information, no third parties were involved. So there was no collision,’ they said.

According to Ghana News Agency, initial reports indicate that the crew issued a distress call on international emergency channel 16, but rescuers were unable to establish direct contact with them. No injuries have been reported. Containers on board the vessel, some of which fell overboard, are believed to have contained fuel. Authorities said there was no indication of environmental damage so far.

According to the shipping authority, a rescue tug is at the scene of the accident and has been tasked with searching for and collecting these barrels. The regional maritime warning service called on the crews of other ships in the sea area to ‘keep a good lookout.’