Everyone on board the Stena Immaculate has been accounted for, but one of the 14 crew members of the Solong cargo ship is still missing following the disaster
The Stena Immaculate and Solong crashed on Monday morning off the coast of Grimbsy, covering the area in thick, black smoke. Dozens of people on board abandoned the boats after the crash, which happened just before 9.50am, with the Coastguard rescuing 36 people involved.
All 23 people on board the oil tanker have been accounted for, but the search for one of the crew members of the Solong cargo ship is still ongoing. The Coastguard search was called off at around 9.40pm while both vessels were still ablaze.
Oil burning on the surface of the sea caused flames as RNLI lifeboats and a Coastguard helicopter pulled people to safety. Lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Mablethorpe, and Cleethorpes took part in the rescue operation, and nearby vessels with fire-fighting capabilities were called to assist.
Matthew Atkinson, divisional commander for HM Coastguard, said: “One crew member of the Solong remains unaccounted for. After an extensive search for the missing crew member, sadly they have not been found and the search has ended.
“The two vessels remain on fire, and a coastguard aircraft is monitoring the situation. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is carrying out an assessment of any required counter-pollution response.”
In a tragic update, one RNLI crew member said there was little they could do after the initial rescue mission as there was “thick fog”. They also said: “We could not see a thing.”
The Stena Immaculate, which was carrying jet feul, had been chartered by the US Navy’s Military Sealift Command as part of its Tanker Security Program which “supports US military missions across the globe”.
Meanwhile, the cargo vessel was carrying 15 shipping containers packed with sodium cyanide and an unknown quantity of alcohol. Sodium cyanide is a highly toxic and water-soluble compound.
Maritime security sources told Reuters there was “no indication” of any malicious activity.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said it was an “extremely concerning situation”.
He added: “We thank the emergency services for their rapid response. I understand the Department for Transport is working closely with the Coastguard to help support the response to the incident.
“We’re obviously monitoring the situation, we’ll continue to coordinate the response and we’re grateful to emergency personnel for their continued efforts.”
An official for The White House refused to rule out the possibility of fould play, with speculation mounting that one of the ships could have been hacked by Russia or other hostile states. They told gCaptain.com “foul play had not been ruled out”.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is now investigating the incident.
A spokesperson stated: “Our team of inspectors and support staff are gathering evidence and undertaking a preliminary assessment of the accident to determine our next steps.”
There have also been fears of an environmental catastrophe as aviation fuel poured into the sea.
Martin Slater, from the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said it could be ‘devastating’ to the Humber estuary as birds and seals are at risk.
The incident is close to Bempton Cliffs, which is home to the biggest gannet colony in England, an RSPB spokesperson confirmed.
Another added: “Oil directly impacts seabirds, coating their feathers and reducing their waterproofing and buoyancy, which can lead to drowning, or it can poison them through ingestion.”
