Several persons are missing after a British cargo ship sank off the coast of Germany following a collision with another vessel in the North Sea on Tuesday, reported the BBC.

The British cargo ship named Verity and the Bahamian ship Polesie collided on Tuesday morning nearly 21 kms southwest of the Helgoland island, Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said.

While the Verity sunk, the Polesie carrying 22 persons remained afloat, reported The Guardian. At least one person has been rescued and teams are searching for others who are missing. It is not clear how many persons have gone missing.

The German Maritime Search and Rescue Service have deployed two sea rescue cruisers. A German navy helicopter and a water police boat are aiding in the search efforts, the BBC reported. Another cruise ship in the vicinity is also assisting in the rescue operation.

While the Bahamian vessel was travelling from Hamburg to La Coruña in Spain, the Verity was travelling from Germany’s Bremen to Immingham in the United Kingdom.

The cause of the collision is yet to be determined.