Oil tanker collides with cargo ship in UK

BarcelonaAn oil tanker has collided with a cargo ship off the coast of East Yorkshire, UK, and both vessels have caught fire. Authorities have launched a rescue operation involving the deployment of helicopters and several lifeboats.

Thirty-two people who were on board the vessels have been taken to shore, where medical services are awaiting them, but their condition is not yet known. Meanwhile, all the crew of the cargo vessel, Stena Immaculate, are safe and accounted for, according to the BBC.

The incident occurred near the Humber estuary, on the east coast of northern England, and coastal authorities were alerted at 09:48 GMT on Monday. Several lifeboats and a Coastguard helicopter were dispatched to the scene.

One of the vessels involved is the Stena Immaculate, a chemical tanker operated by US company Crowley and owned by Stena, a spokesman for the shipping company Stena has confirmed. According to the Marine Traffic website, which tracks details about shipping vessels, it is 183 metres long, weighs around 50,000 tonnes and is flying the US flag. According to the same website, it had left a Greek port in the Aegean Sea and was heading to Hull.

The other vessel is a Portuguese-flagged container ship called Solong which was heading to Rotterdam. It has a capacity of 9,500 tonnes and is 140.6 metres long.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution said a number of people had abandoned the boats following a collision. Authorities are working to put out the fire.

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