A US oil tanker burst into flames after colliding with a ship off the coast of England, resulting in at least 32 casualties. A major maritime rescue mission is underway in the North Sea near the East Yorkshire coast, following the collision of two vessels, one reportedly carrying jet fuel. The incident occurred near the Humber Estuary, with the alarm raised around 9.48am. The US-flagged Stena Immaculate, anchored off the Humber Estuary after traveling from Greece, collided with the Portuguese-flagged container ship MV Solong, traveling from Scotland to Rotterdam. The oil tanker was reportedly stationary when the Solong collided with it.
Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, confirmed that 13 casualties were initially brought to shore, followed by another 10 on a harbor pilot boat and a further nine in another rescue. Both vessels are still burning, with several crew members unaccounted for after fleeing into the waters to escape the “massive fireball.” The RNLI reported that people abandoned the vessels to avoid the flames, and emergency calls revealed decisions to abandon the ships. A Marine Accident Investigation Branch team has been deployed to Grimsby to gather evidence and assess the accident.
