A CREW member from a cargo ship which collided with an oil tanker in the North Sea is still missing, the vessel's owner said.
The Portuguese-registered container ship Solong collided with the US-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate just before 10am on Monday at the Humber Estuary, off the coast of East Yorkshire.
The maritime company managing the Stena Immaculate said jet fuel was released and there were “multiple explosions onboard” when the vessel suffered a ruptured cargo tank after being hit by the container ship Solong.
A person is in hospital after 36 mariners were rescued following the crash.
One person is still missing from the container ship Solong, according to the ship's owner.
Shipping firm Ernst Russ said search efforts were ongoing to find the crew member and the 13 other crew had been brought safely ashore.
In a statement, the company said: “Both vessels have sustained significant damage in the impact of the collision and the subsequent fire.
“Thirteen of the 14 Solong crew members have been brought safely shore. Efforts to locate the missing crew member are ongoing.
“Ernst Russ immediately activated an emergency response team and the company remains in contact with them, the master of Solong and all relevant marine authorities at Humberside.
“The first priority is the safety of the crew, all responders and the environment. A further update will be provided when information becomes available.”
Lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter were called to the collision in the Humber Estuary as 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 on a harbour pilot boat and nine on another pilot’s vessel.
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.
Footage of the incident showed at least one vessel on fire, with clouds of black smoke coming out of the oil tanker and billowing into the air.
A statement from Crowley, which manages the oil tanker, read: “At approximately 10am on March 10, 2025, while anchored off the North Sea coast near Hull, United Kingdom, the Crowley-managed tanker Stena Immaculate was struck by the container ship Solong.
“The Stena Immaculate sustained a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel due to the allision. A fire occurred as a result of the allision, and fuel was reportedly released.
“The Stena Immaculate crew abandoned the vessel following multiple explosions onboard. All Crowley mariners are safe and fully accounted for.
“Crowley immediately initiated its emergency vessel response plan and is actively working with public agencies to contain the fire and secure the vessel.
“Our first priority is the safety of the people and environment. We will provide more updates as information becomes available.”
