A cargo ship collided with a US-flagged tanker carrying jet fuel in the North Sea, sparking a massive fire and injuring 32 people. A large-scale rescue operation, coordinated by the UK Coastguard, ensured that all crew members were safely evacuated.
The accident occurred on Monday, approximately 16 kilometers off the coast of Hull, when the Portuguese-flagged cargo vessel MV Solong struck the Stena Immaculate, a tanker chartered under the US Government’s Tanker Security Programme. The collision ruptured a cargo tank containing A1 jet fuel, triggering a fire and fuel spillage, according to the tanker’s US-based operator, Crowley.
Dramatic images showed thick black smoke billowing over the sea as firefighting vessels and emergency responders worked to contain the blaze. The UK’s Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) confirmed that fires broke out on both ships.
Martyn Boyers, director of Grimsby port, reported that three rescue vessels transported the injured to shore, where ambulances were waiting to provide medical care. Authorities confirmed that all crew members aboard the Stena Immaculate, owned by Swedish company Stena Bulk, survived the incident.
Vessel movements in the Humber estuary were suspended as a precaution, and the UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch launched an inquiry into the cause of the collision. Environmental group Greenpeace warned that while the full extent of the damage was unclear, a swift response would be crucial to minimizing any potential environmental impact.
UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander expressed concern over the incident and praised emergency responders for their swift action. Meanwhile, the International Maritime Organisation stated that the immediate priority remained firefighting and search-and-rescue operations.
Collisions in the North Sea are rare, but this accident comes just over a year after two cargo ships, Verity and Polesie, collided near Germany’s Heligoland islands, resulting in three fatalities.
