Baltic Ace

The car carrier, Baltic Ace, is reported to have collided with the container ship, Corvus J, this evening in crowded shipping lanes around 60 miles off the coast of Rotterdam.  The Baltic Ace is believed to have sunk. Her crew of 24 took to life rafts and rescue operations are underway. There is no word yet on casualties. The Cyrus J is reported to be badly damaged but not in danger of sinking.

The BBC reports: The Baltic Ace was sailing under a Bahamas flag. It was transporting cars from Zeebrugge in Belgium to Finland when it collided with the Cyprus-registered container ship, the Corvus J, sailing from Grangemouth in Scotland to the Belgian port of Antwerp.

The shipping lane where the accident happened is one of the busiest in the North Sea, close to the entrance to Rotterdam port, which is Europe’s busiest.