U.S.-flagged tanker, cargo ship in North Sea collision off coast of England, setting both vessels on fire

A U.S.-flagged tanker carrying jet fuel was struck by a cargo ship in the North Sea off the coast of eastern England on Monday, triggering multiple explosions and setting both vessels on fire, officials said. An English port boss said he had been told there was “a massive fireball” following the collision.

A local lawmaker, Graham Stuart, said he had been told by the transport secretary that 37 crew members were aboard the two ships, and one was hospitalized.

“The other 36 mariners across both crews are safe and accounted for,” he said.

Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said he was told about the fireball following the collision.

“It’s too far out for us to see — about 10 miles — but we have seen the vessels bringing them in,” he said. “They must have sent a mayday out. Luckily there was a crew transfer vessel out there already. Since then, there has been a flotilla of ambulances to pick up anyone they can find.”

Crowley Maritime, which operates the U.S.-flagged chemical and oil products carrier MV Stena Immaculate, said the tanker was anchored in the North Sea on Monday morning when it was struck by the Portugal-flagged container ship Solong, the company said in a statement.

A cargo tank containing jet fuel ruptured, leaking fuel and a fire broke out, Crowley said.

“The Stena Immaculate crew abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard,” Crowley said. “All Crowley mariners are safe and fully accounted for.”

Stena Bulk CEO Erik Hanell told BBC News that the crew consisted of more than 20 people.

Britain’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency said several lifeboats and a coast guard rescue helicopter were dispatched to the scene in the North Sea, along with a coast guard plane and nearby vessels with firefighting capability.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution said “there were reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels following a collision and there were fires on both ships.” It said three lifeboats were working on search and rescue at the scene alongside the coast guard.

Video footage aired by BBC News and apparently filmed from a nearby vessel showed thick black smoke pouring from both ships.

MV Stena Immaculate was at anchor at the time after sailing from Greece, according to ship-tracking site VesselFinder. The Solong was sailing from Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

According to the BBC, MV Stena Immaculate was en route from Agio Theodoroi in Greece to Killingholme in the U.K. It is one of just 10 oil tankers enlisted in a U.S. government program designed to supply the armed forces with fuel during times of armed conflict or national emergency, the BBC reported.

The coast guard agency said the alarm was raised at 9:48 a.m. local time. The site of the collision is off the coast of Hull, about 155 miles north of London.