A striking video making the rounds on social media appears to show a cargo ship slamming into a smaller fishing vessel, and the BBC’s verification team has confirmed the footage is genuine.
Using a mix of digital forensics and open-source investigation techniques, BBC Verify analysts were able to identify both ships involved in the crash and pinpoint the location of the accident: waters just off the coast of Singapore, one of the world’s busiest shipping hubs and a major gateway for international maritime trade in Southeast Asia. Based on the evidence gathered, investigators believe the collision most likely occurred on September 17.
Despite confirming when and where the crash happened, several key questions remain unanswered. It’s still not known whether the collision caused any injuries or fatalities among the crew members aboard either vessel. The cause of the accident is also still unclear, leaving open the possibility of navigational error, mechanical failure, or other factors that maritime authorities may need to investigate further.
Collisions involving large cargo ships and smaller fishing boats can be particularly dangerous given the vast difference in size and mass between the vessels, often putting the crew of the smaller boat at greater risk.
You can watch the original video and read the BBC’s full report for more details on this developing story.
Source: Watch: Dramatic moment a cargo ship crashes into another vessel (feeds.bbci.co.uk).
Image: NOAA's National Ocean Service, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).