Cargo Ship and Oil Tanker Collide off UK Coast, Triggering Massive Fire

 

A collision between a cargo vessel and an oil tanker occurred off the northeastern coast of England

Cargo Ship and Oil Tanker Collide off UK Coast, Triggering Massive Fire

A collision between a cargo vessel and an oil tanker occurred off the northeastern coast of England, resulting in a massive fire and prompting an immediate emergency response from the British coastguard.

In a statement, the coastguard confirmed the deployment of a helicopter and lifeboats from nearby locations, along with "vessels with fire-fighting capability," to manage the situation in the North Sea.

Footage of the incident captures thick black smoke billowing from at least one of the vessels, which is engulfed in flames.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) disclosed that four lifeboat crews had been dispatched to assist in the emergency. The organization also acknowledged "reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels following a collision and there were fires on both ships."

According to Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, at least 32 individuals have been brought ashore. Ambulances were on standby at the dock to transport them to medical facilities, Boyers confirmed.

Reports suggest the incident involved a US-flagged tanker, the Stena Immaculate, and a container ship named Solong, which operates under the flag of Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal. This information was obtained through the ship tracking service VesselFinder.

VesselFinder data indicates that the Solong departed from the Scottish port of Grangemouth on Sunday evening, en route to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, when it collided with the Stena Immaculate. The latter was anchored off the coast near Hull at the time of the incident.

The cause of the collision remains unknown.

"It seems a mystery, really, because all the vessels now have very highly sophisticated technical equipment to plot courses and to look at any obstacles or anything they’ve got to avoid," Boyers remarked.

"It’s difficult to actually suggest what went on, other than the fact it should never have happened," he added.

The Stena Immaculate is managed by the U.S.-based logistics company Crowley and is part of a fleet of ten tankers operating under a U.S. government initiative designed to ensure fuel supplies for military operations. Crowley stated that the Department of Defense’s "Tanker Security Program" aims to "ensure a commercial fleet can readily transport liquid fuel supplies in times of need."

At the time of the coastguard’s rescue operation, real-time tracking from VesselFinder showed several high-speed vessels and a tugboat heading towards the collision site.

The Solong had set sail from Grangemouth on Sunday night, bound for Rotterdam, while the Stena Immaculate had been anchored off Hull after arriving from the Greek port of Agioi Theodoroi last month, VesselFinder data revealed.

Emergency services were alerted at 9:48 a.m. local time (5:48 a.m. ET), and the operation is still ongoing, according to the coastguard.

The International Maritime Organization, which regulates global maritime transport under the United Nations, acknowledged awareness of the incident.

"The current focus is on the firefighting and search and rescue operation. In due course a full marine casualty investigation report should be submitted to the International Maritime Organization," the agency stated.