A US-flagged oil tanker and a cargo ship caught fire after a collision in the North Sea off England’s northeastern coast.
According to BBC, local MP Graham Stuart has confirmed that 37 people have been brought ashore after a massive fire broke out mid-sea following a collision between the US-flagged Stena Immaculate and the Portuguese-flagged container Solong on Monday, March 10, 2025.
Stuart said that only one of the rescued persons is in the hospital, while the “36 mariners across both crews are safe and accounted for,” adding that everyone is now on shore.
The British coastguard, helicopters, and lifeboats from nearby towns, along with “vessels with fire-fighting capability,” were immediately sent to respond to the incident.
HM Coastguard spokesperson said, “A coastguard rescue helicopter from Humberside was called, alongside lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Maplethorpe [sic], and Cleethorpes, an HM Coastguard fixed-wing aircraft, and nearby vessels with firefighting capability.”
The collision occurred in the Humber Estuary on Monday morning with the fire alarm raised at 9:48 a.m. local time (5:48 a.m. ET). A devastating blaze broke out soon after the collision. Thick smoke and “massive fireballs” could be seen in the videos circulating on social media.
Furthermore, although all of the people have been rescued, the owner of the tanker said that the jet fuel is still spilling into the North Sea.
