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UK authorities were still struggling to contain a fire more than 24 hours after a tanker carrying US military fuel was struck by a container ship in the North Sea, as concerns rose about an environmental disaster in British waters.
A fire was “still raging” following the collision that occurred shortly before 10am on Monday off the east coast near Grimsby, housing minister Matthew Pennycook said on Tuesday morning.
He told Times Radio that authorities were assessing the impact on water pollution from the collision apparently caused by a container ship carrying sodium cyanide, adding: “It’s a fast-moving and dynamic situation, but all the necessary services are on the ground, both investigating and taking the immediate steps required.”
There are fears that the crash, which has left one crew member still unaccounted for, could also become the UK’s worst environmental disaster in recent times.
Matthew Atkinson, divisional commander for HM Coastguard, said on Monday evening that an “extensive search” for the missing crew member had ended. He added that 36 other mariners had been brought safely ashore, with one remaining in hospital.
The Stena Immaculate, managed by Florida-based Crowley and owned by Sweden-headquartered Stena Bulk Marine Services, was carrying up to 220,000 barrels of fuel for the US military and suffered a rupture to a cargo tank, according to Crowley.
Lloyd’s List Intelligence, a maritime information service, said cargo on the container ship that crashed into the tanker included sodium cyanide, a potentially highly dangerous chemical.
Authorities were still investigating how the collision occurred. Information from Marine Traffic, the vessel-tracking site, appeared to show the Solong container vessel, owned by Germany-based Ernst Russ, ploughing into the Stena Immaculate at speed while the tanker was at anchor.
“For a vessel to run into another one is incredible [and] therein lies the mystery,” said Martyn Boyers, chief executive of Port of Grimsby East, which has assisted in the rescue efforts.
Salvaging the vessels and the environmental clean up “is going to be a big job for sure”, he added.
Melanie Onn, Labour MP for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes, said local residents were concerned about the potential impact on wildlife, adding that volunteers were being identified who could help rescue animals if needed.
She said questions were also being raised about the impact on air quality and if that could become a problem.
