Withernsea, United Kingdom: A cargo ship collided with a jet fuel-laden tanker in the North Sea on Monday, triggering a massive fire and leaving 32 people injured, authorities and the tanker’s operator confirmed.

A large-scale rescue operation was launched by the UK Coastguard as thick black smoke and flames rose from the site, approximately 16 kilometres (10 miles) off the English coast.

Also Read

placeholder

New York, Minnesota, Michigan hit with 25% electricity tax hike as Ontario retaliates against Trump

placeholder

Boat capsizes in Congo: 25 dead including football players

placeholder

Israel’s negotiators head to Qatar amid tensions to extend fragile Gaza ceasefire

The Stena Immaculate was "anchored off the North Sea coast near Hull ... (and) was struck by the container ship Solong," the Stena's US-based operators Crowley said in a statement. The impact ruptured a cargo tank containing A1-jet fuel, sparking a fire with fuel "reported released". 

Grimsby Port Director Martyn Boyers confirmed that 32 injured individuals were brought ashore on three vessels. "Ambulances were queueing on the quay," he said. All crew members aboard Stena Immaculate, owned by Swedish shipping company Stena Bulk, were confirmed to be alive.

UK lifeboat services responded to reports of fires on both vessels, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) confirmed. The Coastguard was carrying out an assessment of the likely counter pollution response while the Marine Accident Investigation Branch has dispatched a team to Grimsby for a preliminary inquiry.

"Our team of inspectors and support staff are gathering evidence and undertaking a preliminary assessment of the accident to determine our next steps," a Marine Accident Investigation Branch spokesperson said.

According to environmental campaign group Greenpeace, it was "too early to assess the extent of any environmental damage". "In the case of an oil spill or any loss of hazardous cargo from the container ship involved, the speed of the response will also be crucial in limiting any impact," a Greenpeace spokesperson said.

All vessel movements were "suspended" in the Humber estuary which flows into the North Sea, according to the Associated British Ports (ABP). The ABP, which operates in the Ports of Hull and Immingham in the region, added it was "assisting" the Coastguard.

The International Maritime Organization said the focus remained on firefighting and search-and-rescue operations.

UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander expressed concern over the incident and praised emergency services for their prompt action. The crash occurred at 0948 GMT near Hull, East Yorkshire. 

A Coastguard helicopter, a plane, lifeboats from four towns and other nearby vessels were part of the large rescue operation, the Coastguard said.

The Portuguese-flagged 140-metre-long (460 foot) cargo vessel Solong, owned by German company Reederei Koepping, had departed from Grangemouth, Scotland, en route to Rotterdam. Vessels equipped with firefighting capabilities have been deployed to contain the blaze off the northeast coast.

Although collisions in the busy North Sea are rare, a similar incident in October 2023 saw cargo ships Verity and Polesie collide near Germany’s Heligoland islands, resulting in three deaths and two others still missing, considered dead

The Isle-of-Man-flagged Verity, which was carrying steel from the northern German port of Bremen to Immingham, sank.

In October 2015, the Flinterstar freighter -- carrying 125 tonnes of diesel and 427 tonnes of fuel oil -- sank after colliding with the Al Oraiq tanker eight kilometres (five miles) off the Belgian coast on October 6, 2015.

A major North Sea oil spill took place in January 1993 when the Liberian tanker Braer suffered engine damage while en route from Norway to Canada.

Water seeped into the holds of the ship, which ran aground off Scotland's Shetland Islands and released 84,500 tonnes of crude oil. 

AFP