North Sea: Oil tanker and cargo ship collide off Yorkshire coast

More than 30 casualties have been brought ashore after an oil tanker collided with a cargo vessel in the North Sea, causing a “massive fireball”.

The condition of those injured remains unclear with lifeguards and a coastguard helicopter scrambling to the scene following reports that a “number of people” had abandoned both ships.

The collision occurred in the Humber Estuary on Monday morning with the alarm first raised at 9.48am. The incident is believed to involve a US-flagged tanker called the MV Stena Immaculate, which is understood to have been carrying aviation fuel.

The chief executive of Stena Immaculate has confirmed to the BBC that all crew have been accounted for and are safe.

According to the ship tracking tool Vesselfinder, the American tanker was at anchor when it collided with the Portugese-flagged ship MV Solong.

A HM Coastguard spokesperson said: “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.

“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.”

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