The attempt to find survivors of a major sinking in European waters enters its second day as officials say “there may be a chance” some could be still alive in the submerged wreckage.

Two people have been rescued and one found dead out of a crew of seven on the British-flagged Verity, leaving four unaccounted for over 30 hours after the ship sank in the North Sea off Germany’s coast. The general cargo ship, loaded with a consignment of steel headed for the United Kingdom is said to have collided with the significantly larger bulk carrier Polesie in the early hours of Tuesday morning, sparking a major search for survivors.

24 October 2023, Lower Saxony, Cuxhaven: Robby Renner (r), head of Havariekommando, and Michael Ippich of the German Maritime Search and Rescue Service, at a press conference after the collision of two freighters in the North Sea. The accident involving the two freighters occurred on Tuesday morning about 22 kilometers southwest of the offshore island of Helgoland and 31 kilometers northeast of the East Frisian island of Langeoog, according to the Havariekommando. Photo: Sina Schuldt/dpa (Photo by Sina Schuldt/picture alliance via Getty Images)

While the Verity has been underwater for some time, the body coordinating the rescue is treating it as a possibility that survivors could still be in an air-filled watertight compartment onboard hoping for rescue. British state broadcaster the BBC reports the remarks of Robby Renner, who leads the German Central Command for Maritime Emergencies (CCME), who said while weather conditions hampered the search it remained possible the missing are still inside the Verity.

He is reported to have said: “There may be a chance – and I stress it is only a chance – that they are trapped in the ship’s hull.” Another expert from a German sea rescue charity cited in the report said that: “We will not stop the search and rescue operation as long as there is still a small chance of finding survivors.”

As well as dedicated search and rescue ships, the large British ocean liner Iona has joined the effort to find survivors, with passengers taking to social media to share their novel experience of their cruise being interrupted by a rescue mission.