Two ships, an oil tanker and a cargo vessel, collided off the coast of eastern England resulting in both vessels catching fire. A total of 32 individuals were rescued in a major operation along the shore.
A spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency of the United Kingdom stated that the incident occurred off the coast of East Yorkshire. Both ships were ablaze off the northeastern coast of England, with images showing a large cloud of black smoke and flames rising from the scene.
Martyn Boyers, the chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, reported that 32 individuals were rescued, although their conditions were not immediately known. He mentioned that 13 individuals were brought ashore on a Windcat 33 vessel, followed by another 19 on a harbour pilot boat.
Boyers mentioned that there were reports of “a massive fireball” at the scene. The coastguard agency dispatched a helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, lifeboats, and fire-fighting vessels to the area after the incident was reported at 0948 GMT.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution, involved in the emergency response, mentioned that there were reports of people abandoning the vessels, leading to fires on both ships. Three lifeboats were conducting search and rescue operations with the coast guard.
Stena Bulk, a Swedish tanker company, confirmed that the oil tanker involved was operated by Crowley, a US-based maritime company. They stated that all 20 crew members onboard were safe. The cargo ship involved was reported to be the “Solong” or “So Long,” owned by the German company Reederei Koepping.
The collision site is a busy waterway with traffic between ports along the northeast coast of Britain to the Netherlands and Germany. The International Maritime Organization, the United Nations’ maritime agency, mentioned that they were aware of the situation and conducting further checks.
