Oil Tanker and Cargo Ship Collide, Spark Massive Fire Off U.K. Coast

A container ship collided with an oil tanker off the eastern coast of the United Kingdom at around 9:48 am local time on Monday morning. The crash resulted in a massive fire and gallons of oil being poured into the North Sea, with emergency response efforts underway. According to local officials, one person was hospitalized as a result of the collision, while another 36 people—members of both crews—were taken ashore. All crew members are believed to be accounted for.

According to the New York Times, the ships involved in the collision were the Stena Immaculate, an oil tanker that was registered in the United States, and the Solong, a container ship that was sailing under the Portuguese flag. The Solong reportedly left port in Scotland on Sunday and was on its way to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The Stena Immaculate was anchored at the time of impact, which raises some concerns about the incident—namely, how did the container ship hit a stationary oil tanker in broad daylight?

Speaking to BBC News, maritime safety consultant David Mcfarlane said, “There should be no reason for two ships to collide” in these conditions and that “something has gone very badly wrong.” He did note that it’s pretty standard for ships to be placed on autopilot, but there is supposed to be someone on watch if course correction is needed. Mcfarlane said it’ll take “weeks if not months to come to any proper conclusion.”

Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, offered similar sentiments to CNN. “It seems a mystery, really, because all the vessels now have very highly sophisticated technical equipment to plot courses and to look at any obstacles or anything they’ve got to avoid,” he told the news outlet. “It’s difficult to actually suggest what went on, other than the fact it should never have happened.”

The UK has deployed its Marine Accident Investigation Branch to gather evidence and make a preliminary assessment as to what caused the collision. Reuters reported that there are no signs of malicious activity that may have led to the crash.

The Guardian reported that the Stena Immaculate was carrying jet fuel that is owned by the US military. The collision reportedly caused a fire to start on board the Stena Immaculate, which resulted in multiple explosions and ultimately led to the crew abandoning ship. It’s believed that the jet fuel on board the ship has been spilling into the North Sea, which will likely prompt a lengthy clean-up operation. Because it is lighter and more refined, jet fuel is typically easier to clean up than crude oil, but it will likely result in some adverse environmental impact.