What we know about North Sea oil tanker and cargo ship collision

An oil tanker and cargo ship have collided in the North Sea off the coast of Lincolnshire, forcing casualties to abandon ship.

Both the cargo vessel and tanker are on fire after the collision this morning, which happened around 13 miles from the coast, according to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI).

Here is what we know so far.

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How many casualties are there?

32 casualties were brought ashore thanks to rescue operations, after reports came in that many had “abandoned ship”.

Details regarding their conditions are not known, but Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, where the casualties were taken, told Sky News all of them were brought in alive.

“We were put on standby around about 11 o’clock to receive casualties – not knowing what condition they were in,” he told Sky News presenter Kamali Melbourne.

The first boat arrived with 13 people on board. The offshore windfarm vessel had been in the vicinity when the crash took place.

It was followed by 10 casualties on a pilot boat operated by Associated British Ports, which owns the Port of Immingham, and a third vessel – a pilot boat – with the remaining casualties.

Mr Boyers continued: “There was a line of ambulances waiting to take them to the Princess Diana hospital.

“They were alive. We didn’t see [more], the area was sectioned off by police. I do know that they were all alive.”

The oil tanker’s management firm said in a statement on Monday afternoon that all of its crew were “safe and accounted for”.

Graham Stuart, the MP for Beverley and Holderness, said he understood that only one person was in hospital following the collision and that “the other 36 mariners across both crews are safe and accounted for”.

He did not comment on the condition of the person in hospital.

Mr Stuart later told Sky News one person may be unaccounted for, based on the latest information he had been given.

What we know about the collision

The alarm was first raised at 9.48am, before HM Coastguard tasked a number of lifeboats to support its response at 10.20am.

The collision involved a US-flagged oil tanker called the Stena Immaculate and the Solong – a container ship sailing under a Portuguese flag.

Authorities said reports came in of a “massive fireball” after the incident, and images of the aftermath show both ships on fire and billowing smoke.

Tracking data shows the moment of the crash, with the Stena Immaculate seemingly stationary as the Solong sails towards it.

In audio released following the incident, the coastguard requesting emergency services says the Solong collided with the tanker.

The oil tanker’s management firm, Crowley, has since revealed it sustained a ruptured cargo tank after it was struck, causing “multiple explosions” and jet fuel to be released into the water.

In a statement on Monday afternoon, Crowley said: “A fire occurred as a result of the allision, and fuel was reported released.

“The Stena Immaculate crew abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard.

“All Crowley mariners are safe and fully accounted for.

“Crowley immediately initiated its emergency vessel response plan and is actively working with public agencies to contain the fire and secure the vessel.”

What could have caused the collision?

Mr Boyers told Sky News he suspected autopilot may have led to the crash.

After being asked about tracking system showing the Solong heading for the seemingly stationary Stena Immaculate before the collision, he said: “One of them was at anchor and the other would have set a course.

“They have a thing called autopilot, and that’s what I would suspect has been the issue.

“If it’s been put on autopilot and there’s no one on the bridge, which could happen, then it’d just go straight on.

“Autopilot just steers a course, they don’t deviate, there’s no bend in the sea.

“They just go straight for miles, hundreds of miles, and it would’ve gone in a straight direction.

“It’s difficult to understand what happened, or why it happened.”

He added there would have been alarms on the bridge, which raised even more questions about how the collision unfolded.

Aftermath ’cause for great concern’

Environmental experts have shared their concern over the reported oil spill, with Greenpeace UK releasing a statement saying it was monitoring the situation.

The environmental organisation said: “”Both the high speed of the collision and the footage of the aftermath are cause for great concern.

“Right now, our thoughts are with all those affected by the incident and the emergency services responding to the situation.

“At this stage, it’s too early to assess the extent of any environmental damage. But the magnitude of any impact will depend on a number of factors, including the amount and type of oil carried by the tanker, the fuel carried by both ships, and how much of that, if any, has entered the water.

“Sea and weather conditions will also be important in determining how any spill behaves.

“In the case of an oil spill or any loss of hazardous cargo from the container ship involved, the speed of the response will also be crucial in limiting any impact.”

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