A large-scale rescue operation has been launched in the North Sea, off the British coast, following a collision between an oil tanker and a cargo ship that sparked fires on both vessels.
According to British coastguards, the incident occurred near the Humber Estuary in the East Yorkshire region. The alert was received at 09:48 GMT on Monday, prompting the immediate deployment of several lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter to the accident site. The cause of the collision remains unknown at this time.
One crew member was hospitalized, while the remaining 36 sailors from both vessels were rescued without serious injuries, according to local MP Graham Stuart, who spoke with the UK Secretary of Transport.
Authorities are now concerned about the potential environmental impact of the accident. Martyn Boyers, CEO of Grimsby East Port, the closest port to the crash site, stated that the rescued crew members were transported by ambulance upon reaching shore. He also reported that witnesses described seeing a “massive fireball” at the site of impact.
According to MarineTraffic, the vessels involved in the collision are the U.S.-flagged oil tanker Stena Immaculate and the Portugal-flagged container ship Solong. Erik Hanell, CEO of Stena Bulk, confirmed that the entire crew of the Stena Immaculate is safe.
The U.S.-based company Crowley, operator and co-owner of the Stena Immaculate, stated that the vessel was carrying aviation fuel at the time of the crash. Although all crew members have been rescued, concerns remain that some of the fuel may have spilled into the sea.
Greenpeace UK warned that it is still “too early” to assess the environmental damage caused by the incident but noted that both the high speed of the collision and the footage from the scene are cause for great concern.
“The impact will depend on the type and quantity of oil spilled, as well as the prevailing weather and sea conditions,” a Greenpeace spokesperson explained. The organization also stressed that a swift response will be critical to minimizing damage in the event of an oil spill or hazardous cargo loss from the Solong.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) reported that several crew members abandoned their vessels following the collision and that both ships were engulfed in flames. “It’s too far for us to see from the coast, about 10 miles (16 km) away, but we’ve seen the rescue boats bringing people back,” said Martyn Boyers.
The director of Grimsby East Port added that “fortunately, there was a crew transfer vessel already in the area when the collision occurred,” which allowed for a rapid response from rescue teams.
The operation has mobilized a British coastguard helicopter, a fixed-wing aircraft, multiple lifeboats from nearby towns, and firefighting-capable vessels. A coastguard spokesperson confirmed that “the incident is ongoing” and that emergency teams are still working in the area.
According to MarineTraffic, the Stena Immaculate had departed from the Greek port of Agioi Theodoroi and was anchored near the Humber Estuary at the time of the accident. Meanwhile, the Solong was traveling from the Scottish port of Grangemouth to Rotterdam, Netherlands.
In a statement, the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) announced that it has dispatched a team to Grimsby to gather evidence and conduct a preliminary assessment of the incident to determine the next steps in the investigation.
