Major Rescue Operation Underway After Oil Tanker and Cargo Ship Collision Near England
An alarming incident unfolded off the coast of eastern England on Monday when an oil tanker collided with a cargo ship, igniting intense fires on both vessels and prompting a significant rescue operation, according to emergency services.
At least 32 individuals were reported injured and were transported ashore, although their conditions remain unclear at this time. Martyn Boyers, the chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, provided updates indicating that 13 of the injured were brought in on a Windcat 33 vessel, followed shortly by another 19 on a harbor pilot boat.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency of Britain reported the rapid deployment of several lifeboats and a coast guard rescue helicopter to the scene in the North Sea. Additionally, a coast guard plane and nearby vessels equipped for firefighting were also dispatched to assist with the situation.
Reports from the RNLI lifeboat agency highlighted that numerous people had evacuated the vessels following the collision, leading to fires raging on both ships. Three lifeboats were actively engaged in search and rescue operations at the location, working in conjunction with coast guard teams.
Dramatic footage aired by the BBC, presumably captured from a nearby craft, depicted thick plumes of black smoke billowing from both vessels. Boyers described the scene, stating he had heard reports of a massive fireball resulting from the collision. "It’s too far out for us to see—about 10 miles—but we have seen the vessels bringing them in," he remarked.
The tanker involved in the incident is believed to be the US-flagged MV Stena Immaculate, a chemical and oil products carrier that was anchored after departing from Greece. Meanwhile, the cargo vessel, identified as the Portuguese-flagged container ship Solong, was en route from Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands at the time of the crash.
The alarm regarding the collision was raised at 9:48 AM local time (09:48 GMT). The location of the incident is about 155 miles (250 kilometers) north of London, near the coast of Hull. Authorities continue to monitor the situation as recovery efforts are underway.
Related Sources: