DOZENS of casualties have been brought ashore at Grimsby following a collision between a tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea.
Lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter were called to the collision in the Humber Estuary on Monday morning, believed to involve a US-flagged tanker called the MV Stena Immaculate.
Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said 13 casualties were initially brought in on a Windcat 33 vessel, followed by another 10, then another nine, on a harbour pilot boat.
Some crew members are yet to be accounted for, a port boss has said.
Boyers said he had been told there was “a massive fireball”, adding: “It’s too far out for us to see – about 10 miles – but we have seen the vessels bringing them in.
“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.”
Stena Bulk, the owner of the oil tanker involved in the crash in the North Sea, said the crew were safe.
The tanker was en route from Agio Theodoroi in Greece to Killingholme in the UK, and is managed by US logistics firm Crowley.
At 9:48am, the Solong - a Portuguese-flagged container - appeared to collide with the tanker. The Solong approached from the north at a speed of 16 knots, while en route from the Scottish port of Grangemouth to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands.
The American tanker was at anchor, according to ship tracking tool Vesselfinder.
It is one of only ten oil tankers enlisted in a US government programme which is designed to supply the armed forces with fuel during times of armed conflict or national emergency.
It has not been reported what it was being used for, but it is usually called upon by the US military at short notice.
There have been reports a number of people abandoned the vessels following the collision, the RNLI said.
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.”
Greenpeace UK said it was “too early” to know the extent of any environmental damage.
A spokesperson said: “We are monitoring reports of a cargo vessel crashing into an oil tanker off the coast of Yorkshire very closely.
“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.”
A wildlife charity boss said jet fuel leaking into the Humber could be “devastating for the wildlife of the estuary” as many birds are gathering offshore ahead of the nesting season and there are “significant numbers” of seals in the area.
Martin Slater, director of operations at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said: “Our thoughts are with everyone on the ships and the rescue crews.
“This is obviously a very worrying incident and we’re following developments closely, including waiting to see if there is any pollution into the North Sea from this incident.
“East Yorkshire’s coast is home to protected and significant colonies of seabirds including puffins, razorbills, gannets and kittiwakes. Many birds are gathering offshore on the sea ahead of the nesting season.
“There are significant numbers of Atlantic grey seals in the area, many rearing this year’s young, as well as porpoises and other cetaceans around Spurn.
“If pollution spillage enters the Humber, this could potentially be devasting for the wildlife of the estuary, including important fish stocks and tens of thousands of overwintering and migrating birds who use the mud flats.”
