Fires ‘still raging' after vessels collide in North Sea

Yahoo

11-03-2025

Fires aboard a cargo ship and a tanker which collided in the North Sea are 'still raging', a minister said.
Matthew Pennycook said Coastguard aircraft were monitoring the site of the incident off the East Yorkshire coast.
A search for a missing crew member from the cargo ship was called off on Monday night.
HM Coastguard said efforts to find the person from the Solong container ship had ended after 'an extensive search', following the ship's collision with the Stena Immaculate tanker on Monday morning.
The maritime company managing the Stena Immaculate, Crowley, said the vessel was struck by the Solong while anchored off the coast of Hull, causing 'multiple explosions' on board and Jet A-1 fuel it was carrying to be released.
Crowley said it was unclear how much fuel may have been released, but that Stena Immaculate was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel in 16 segregated cargo tanks when it was struck.
At least one tank 'was ruptured', according to the company.
The tanker was operating as part of the US government's Tanker Security Programme, a group of commercial vessels that can be contracted to carry fuel for the military when needed.
It had been anchored while it waited for a berth to become available at the Port of Killingholme, on the River Humber, Crowley said.
Ship tracking website Vesselfinder shows the tanker had departed from a port in the Peloponnese region of Greece and was heading towards Hull, while the Solong was sailing to Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
According to reports, the Solong was carrying sodium cyanide, which can produce harmful gas when combined with water, but it was unclear if there had been any leak.
Mr Pennycook told Times Radio: 'We are working with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to assess the impact on water pollution.
'The fire is obviously still raging.'
He added: 'The Maritime and Coastguard Agency are well equipped to contain and disperse any oil spills.
'We don't think air quality impacts are outside of normal levels, but we will keep the situation obviously under review.
'It's a fast-moving and dynamic situation, but all the necessary services are on the ground, both investigating and taking the immediate steps required.'
Melanie Onn, Labour MP for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it would be 'very worrying' if the Solong was carrying sodium cyanide.
Lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter were called to the collision in the Humber Estuary just before 10am on Monday.
One RNLI crew member told The Times the fog was so thick during the initial search and rescue crews could 'not see a thing'.
It is understood the US and Portugal will lead investigations into the incident.
Dr Alex Lukyanov, researcher on advanced mathematical models of oil spills from the University of Reading, said: 'Oil spills like the one in the North Sea are affected by multiple factors.
'The size of the spill, weather conditions, sea currents, water waves, wind patterns, and the type of oil involved all play crucial roles in determining environmental outcomes.
'This particular incident is troubling because it appears to involve persistent oil, which breaks up slowly in water.'
He added: 'The environmental toll could be severe.'
Crowley vice president Cal Hayden said: 'As with all our operations, Crowley's priority is to protect the safety of mariners and the environment.
'We greatly appreciate the quick actions and support of the UK authorities, rescue workers and others to today's incident and remain committed to working with them on the continued response efforts.'