ALBAWABA- At least 32 people have been rescued and brought ashore following a dramatic collision between an oil tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea, which set both vessels on fire and triggered a major rescue operation.
Some crew members remain unaccounted for as emergency services continue search efforts.
The collision occurred off the coast of eastern England on Monday morning, prompting the UK Coastguard to assess potential pollution risks.
Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, confirmed that 13 injured individuals were first brought ashore on a Windcat 33 vessel, followed by another 19 on a harbor pilot boat.
Britain’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency dispatched multiple lifeboats, a rescue helicopter, a coast guard plane, and firefighting-equipped vessels to the scene.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) reported that several people had abandoned the burning ships, with thick black smoke seen billowing from both vessels.
Boyers described the impact as causing a "massive fireball," though the collision occurred about 10 miles (16 kilometers) offshore, making direct visuals difficult.
According to ship-tracking data, the US-flagged oil tanker MV Stena Immaculate was anchored at the time of the crash.
The cargo vessel, the container ship Solong, was en route from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, Netherlands.
