Two seamen were knocked overboard and drowned on Thursday when the UK-flag container ship OOCL Finland collided with the Russian-flag freighter Tyumen-2 on the Kiel Canal in Germany.

The two vessels were approaching each other in dense fog when the OOCL Finland's bow struck the wheelhouse of the Tyumen-2, tearing it off.

There were four crew members on the wheelhouse deck of the Tyumen-2 at the time of the collision.

The pilot and a channel controller were killed and two crewmen from the Tyumen-2 were seriously injured.

The Tyumen-2 was badly damaged and drifted until it grounded blocking the canal, which runs between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

The OOCL Finland suffered minor damage to the bow and several containers were damaged.

The OOCL Finland continued on to Rendsburg while the Tyumen-2 had to be towed to Fischerhuette to allow canal traffic to continue.

Reports state that the tanker Clipper Sund and another vessel ran into the canal embankment to avoid colliding with the wrecked vessels.

-- Contact Peter T. Leach at pleach@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeterTLeach.