LONDON – An incident occurred off the eastern coast of England when a cargo ship collided with a tanker carrying jet fuel, resulting in fires on both vessels and prompting an extensive rescue operation. Emergency services reported that at least 32 individuals were transported ashore, although their health conditions remain uncertain. The tanker operator confirmed that all crew members are safe.
The tanker involved, MV Stena Immaculate, which sails under a U.S. flag, had anchored near Grimsby after departing from Greece, based on data from ship-tracking platforms. The cargo ship, identified as the Solong, is a Portugal-flagged vessel traveling from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
According to Crowley Ship Management, the U.S. company in charge of the Stena Immaculate, the collision caused a rupture in a cargo tank carrying Jet-A1 fuel, igniting fires and triggering multiple explosions, with fuel leaking into the sea. Fortunately, all personnel aboard the tanker were reported to be safe.
Port of Grimsby East’s chief executive, Martyn Boyers, detailed the rescue operations, noting that 13 injured individuals were evacuated using a Windcat 33 high-speed vessel, followed by another 19 rescued by a harbor pilot boat.
In response, the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency dispatched several lifeboats, a coast guard rescue helicopter, and an airplane to the site in the North Sea, near Hull, about 155 miles (250 kilometers) north of London.
The alarm was raised at 9:48 a.m. (GMT) by the Humber Coast Guard, who broadcast a request for nearby vessels equipped with firefighting capabilities to assist. The RNLI lifeboat agency reported that many had abandoned the vessels due to the collision and subsequent fires. Three lifeboats, along with the coast guard, were engaged in search and rescue operations.
Footage broadcast by the BBC showed dense black smoke emanating from both ships. Boyers mentioned that there was a report of a “massive fireball,” although the exact scene was about 10 miles offshore and not visible from the port. “They must have sent a mayday out,” he said, noting the presence of a crew transfer vessel already in the area, followed by a fleet of ambulances ready to aid any survivors.
U.K. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated that she is being regularly updated on the ongoing situation. “I want to thank all emergency service workers involved for their continued efforts in responding to the incident,” she remarked.
