Two ships, including an oil tanker, have collided in the North Sea off the coast of the United Kingdom, triggering a major rescue operation and sparking fears for the environment.
In a statement to the BBC, the British coast guard confirmed that reports of a crash had been received at 9:48 a.m. on Monday morning.
“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,” it said.
“A coastguard rescue helicopter from Humberside was called, alongside lifeboats … an HM Coastguard fixed-wing aircraft, and nearby vessels with firefighting capability. The incident remains ongoing.”
Two sources who spoke to the BBC reported that the oil tanker was on fire. These reports could not immediately be verified.
Local media has reported the oil tanker involved is the Stena Immaculate, a U.S.-flagged ship that, according to data platform Kpler, was carrying almost 50,000 barrels of fuel to the port of Immingham.
Britain’s Yorkshire coast is home to a large number of oil terminals, processing shipments of foreign crude destined to be refined into petrol and other fuels.
In 1989, a collision between two oil tankers just off the coast of Hull saw both vessels catch fire and almost 100,000 metric tons of crude at risk of washing onshore, where it would wreak havoc on marine life. However, strong currents washed the slick away from land.
This story has been updated.
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