Two vessels crashed into each other in the North Sea, according to German authorities.

The ships, Polesie and Verity, collided in the early morning about 14 miles southwest of the island of Helgoland, Germany's Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said.

One of the ships, the British-flagged Verity, apparently sank.

The emergency command said one person was rescued from the water and was being given medical treatment, and rescuers were searching for several more people who were unaccounted for.

It said the ship was headed from Bremen to the English port of Immingham.

The other ship, the Bahamas-flagged Polesie, remained afloat with 22 people on board.

A number of German search and rescue vessels are in the area, according to ship tracking, along with two helicopters.

The Iona cruise ship - based out of Southampton - was headed for Rotterdam but has also paused in the vicinity of Verity's last known location, perhaps in an effort to assist with the search.