An oil tanker and a cargo vessel have crashed off the northeast coast of England, resulting in a massive fire and triggering an emergency response from the UK coastguard. Details below 👇
Fire Breaks Out After Oil Tanker and Cargo Vessel Collide
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The coastguard reported that it has dispatched a helicopter, lifeboats from nearby towns and "vessels with fire-fighting capabilities" to handle the situation.
Footage from the scene shows thick black smoke billowing around a ship consumed by flames.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) stated that it had deployed four lifeboat crews to the scene and was aware of reports indicating that several people had abandoned the vessels after the collision.
Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, confirmed that at least 32 individuals had been brought ashore. Ambulances were stationed at the dock to transport them to the hospital.
The details of ships were shared to the press by local authorities.
The incident involves a US-flagged tanker named the Stena Immaculate and a container ship called the Solong, which is registered under the flag of Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal, according to the ship tracking tool VesselFinder.
The Stena Immaculate, managed by the United States logistics firm Crowley, is part of a fleet of 10 tankers involved in a US government program to supply its military with fuel.
The Department of Defense’s “Tanker Security Program,” according to Crowley, “ensures a commercial fleet can readily transport liquid fuel supplies in times of need.” Real-time data from VesselFinder showed a flurry of high-speed ships and a tugboat heading towards the collision site during the coastguard’s rescue operation.
The alarm was raised at 9:48 a.m. local time, and the incident "remains ongoing," according to the coastguard.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) confirmed it is aware of the situation, stating that 'the current focus is on the firefighting and search and rescue operation' and that 'a full marine casualty investigation report should be submitted to the International Maritime Organization' in due course.