North Sea live updates: Stena Immaculate oil tanker bursts into ‘massive fireball’ after colliding with cargo ship

Speaking to Sky News, the chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East said that all 32 casualties were brought in alive.

Martin Boyers said that he was told to be on standby at around 11am to receive casualties, and that the first boat arrived with 13 people on board.

“We were put on standby around about 11 o’clock to receive casualties – not knowing what condition they were in,” he said.

He continued: “There was a line of ambulances waiting to take them to the Princess Diana hospital.

“They were alive. We didn’t see [more] the area was sectioned off by police. I do know that they were all alive.”

It’s understood that the MV Stena Immaculate had travelled from the Greek port of Agioi Theodoroi, and was anchored outside Hull.

It is part of a programme by the US Department of Defence and the US Maritime Administration which is capable of transporting oil for the US army in “times of need”.

The 461ft Portuguese-flagged Solong had been sailing from the Scottish port of Grangemouth to Rotterdam, in the Netherlands.

It was built in 2005 and has the capacity to carry 9,500 tonnes and is thought to be carrying out commercial goods.

The 600ft Stena Immaculate was constructed in 2017, according to the website Martime Optima, and weighs nearly 50,000 tonnes.

Accident investigators have arrived at the scene in Grimsby to begin gathering evidence as the incident remains ongoing.

A spokesperson for the Marine Accident Investigation Branch said: “The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has deployed a team to Grimsby following the collision of the Portuguese registered container ship Solong and the US registered oil tanker Stena Immaculate which collided in the North Sea this morning.

“Our team of inspectors and support staff are gathering evidence and undertaking a preliminary assessment of the accident to determine our next steps.”

The BBC has reported that the chief executive Stena Bulk, Erik Hanell, has confirmed that all the crew of the oil tanker the MV Stena Immaculate have been accounted for and are safe.

More than 20 people have reportedly been brought to shore.

Mr Hanell also said it was too early to speculate on the cause of the collision.

The collision between the oil tanker and the cargo ship has prompted concerns of an environmental disaster, with the Coastguard stating they are carrying out an assessment of the likely counter pollution response.

In a statement they 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 resulting in fires aboard both vessels. 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 and an assessment of the likely counter pollution response required is being enacted.”

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “I’m concerned to hear of the collision between two vessels in the North Sea this morning and am liaising with officials and HM Coastguard as the situation develops.

“I want to thank all emergency service workers involved for their continued efforts in responding to the incident.”

Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said a further nine casualties have been brought ashore aboard a harbour pilot vessel taking the total number to 32.

More than 20 casualties have been brought ashore at Grimsby following a collision between a tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea, but some crew members are yet to be accounted for, a port boss has said.

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.

Mr 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.”

The casualties’ conditions remain unclear.

Here is the full statement from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution: !Four lifeboat crews have been called to an incident off the East Yorkshire coast this morning (Monday 10 March).

“At 10.20am, HM Coastguard tasked Bridlington, Cleethorpes, Mablethorpe and Skegness lifeboats to support their response to two vessels that were reported to have been in collision with each other.

“There were reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels following a collision and there were fires on both ships.

“By 11.40am, Cleethorpes had been stood down while Bridlington, Mablethorpe and Skegness continued to support search and rescue efforts.

“The incident is ongoing with the RNLI and HM Coastguard working together.”