An oil tanker has erupted into flames after being struck by a cargo vessel off the UK coast. The US-flagged MC Stena Immaculate oil tanker, reportedly laden with jet fuel, was anchored in the Humber Estuary in Hull when it was rammed by the Portugal-flagged Solong cargo vessel.
Both crews abandoned ship at the time of the collision, which occurred just before 10am this morning. .
Coastguard rescue helicopters have been dispatched from their Humberside base, and lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes are also on the scene. A fixed-wing aircraft and other firefighting vessels are being deployed, according to the BBC.
Twenty casualties were brought ashore in Grimsby, while some crew members remain unaccounted for. Images from the scene depict a massive cloud of black, acrid smoke obscuring the horizon line, where the two stranded ships sit as the deadly blaze continues to burn.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution confirmed that both ships were ablaze, and that people had abandoned ship following the collision. Shortly after the crash, the captain issued a mayday call to Humber Coastguard, requesting assistance as sailors fled the ship to escape the amber flames, reports the Mirror.
At the beginning of the call, a coastguard official is heard providing the coordinates of the distressed ship. The official also confirmed that the ship had been transporting a cargo full of jet fuel, which has now leaked into the water.
The official reported: "Solong has collided with Tanker Stena Immaculate in the outer anchorage. Both vessels are abandoning. Vessels who have firefighting equipment or who can assist with search and rescue contact Humber Coastguard. Vessel Stena Immaculate is carrying Jet A 1 fuel which is on fire and in the water".
Describing it as an "ongoing incident", the UK Coastguard released a statement saying: "HM Coastguard is currently co-ordinating the emergency response to reports of a collision between a tanker and cargo vessel off the coast of East Yorkshire.
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"The alarm was raised at 9.48am. A Coastguard Rescue Helicopter from Humberside was called, alongside lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Maplethorpe and Cleethorpes, an HM Coastguard fixed wing aircraft, and nearby vessels with fire-fighting capability. The incident remains ongoing."
According to MarineTraffic, the US-flagged ship had sailed from Agioi Theodoroi Port in Corinthia, Greece, while the Solong embarked from Grangemouth headed for Hull.
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