At least 37 people were rescued this Monday after the collision between a cargo ship and an oil tanker that caused the spill of aviation fuel off the coast of the United Kingdom. Additionally, according to The Times citing government sources, one crew member is still missing. “Search and rescue efforts are focused on the other missing crew member,” they stated.
The impact caused a significant fire due to the spill of aviation fuel on the ships and intense columns of smoke, caused by the combustion of flammable products. Emergency services moved to the scene of the incident, about 20 kilometers off the coast of East Yorkshire county.
Crowley, the logistics company responsible for the oil tanker, issued a statement admitting that the aviation fuel it was carrying started to spill into the sea.
“As a result of the collision, a fire broke out, and a spill of aviation fuel was reported. The crew of the Stena Immaculate abandoned the ship after several explosions on board. All Crowley sailors are safe and in perfect condition.”
Furthermore, according to the BBC, Graham Stuart, current Member of Parliament and former Minister of Ecological Transition, spoke with Transport officials, who assured that the current concern is now about the “potential ecological impact“ that the oil and fuel spill could cause in the sea.
According to maritime traffic websites, the cargo ship MV Solong, 140 meters long and Portuguese flagged, would have collided with the MV Stena Immaculate, a 180-meter American oil tanker that apparently was anchored at that time.
The director of the nearby Grimsby East port, Martyn Boyers, ensured that the 32 rescued individuals are alive. “There was a line of ambulances waiting to take them to Princess Diana Hospital. They were alive. We didn’t see the area anymore because it was cordoned off by the police. What I do know is that they were all alive,” he told Sky News. A first rescue boat arrived at the port with 13 crew members, while two others docked shortly after with the rest of the victims. It is unknown if there are still missing persons to be located.
The rescue operation is still ongoing, while authorities try to clarify the reasons for the collision. The MV Solong had departed from Scotland bound for the port of Rotterdam, while the MV Stena Immaculate was coming from Greece and heading to the English port of Hull, located just a few kilometers from the collision site. According to the Meteorological Office, visibility in that area was low due to fog and low clouds.
Top political officials have requested time for the investigation to progress, while remaining vigilant about the situation’s evolution. “I am concerned about the collision between two vessels in the North Sea this morning and I am in contact with the authorities and Her Majesty’s Coastguard as the situation unfolds,” Transport Minister Heidi Alexander stated in a message on X. “I want to thank all the workers from the emergency services involved for their ongoing efforts to respond to the incident,” she added.
Have you visited our YouTube channel yet? Subscribe now!
