North Sea tanker collision - what we know so far - Voice of Asia

A collision between a tanker and a cargo ship has occurred in the North Sea off the coast of East Yorkshire, England, causing both vessels to catch fire. One person is currently missing, and over 30 people have been rescued. Authorities are assessing the potential environmental impact and are continuing to monitor the situation closely.

According to information from the ship tracking website MarineTraffic, the vessels involved include the "Stena Immaculate," an oil/chemical tanker flying the flag of the United States, which was en route to Hull from a port in Greece. The other vessel is the container ship "Solong," flying the flag of Portugal, which has the capacity to carry 9,500 tons of cargo and was sailing south from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

Photos and videos from the scene show the tanker emitting large plumes of smoke following the collision. The management company of the "Stena Immaculate" reported "multiple explosions." The UK Coastguard stated that both vessels were still burning as of 22:00 GMT on Monday. One crew member from the "Solong" remains missing, and search and rescue operations have been suspended. The other 36 crew members from both ships have been safely returned to shore, with one person being taken to the hospital.

According to CBS News (the US partner of the BBC), the "Stena Immaculate" was carrying aviation fuel, which a US official confirmed was being transported on behalf of the US military. Crowley, the ship's management company, confirmed that fuel had leaked into the sea, but the Coastguard stated that the extent of any pollution is still being assessed. A report from Lloyd's List Intelligence indicated that the "Solong's" cargo included 15 containers containing sodium cyanide.

Data from the ship tracking website MarineTraffic shows that one ship was moving and the other was nearly stationary at the time of the collision. The "Stena Immaculate" was drifting at 0.1 knots at 09:48 GMT. The "Solong" was approaching from the north at 16 knots. Crowley stated that the "Stena Immaculate" was struck by the "Solong" while at anchor. The impact caused a rupture in its cargo hold containing aviation fuel, sparking a fire and leading to the fuel leak. However, it is currently unclear what caused the cargo ship to collide with the tanker. The owner of the "Solong," Ernst Russ, stated that both vessels suffered significant damage in the collision and subsequent fire.