Breaking News: Dramatic Tanker Collision Near UK Coast Ignites Fire and Oil Spill Fears; Search Underway for Missing Crew Member

### Collision Incident Involving US Military-Chartered tanker Near East Yorkshire

A serious maritime incident occurred off the coast of East Yorkshire, england, involving a collision between the US military-chartered tanker **Stena Immaculate** and the container ship **Solong**. This event has led to fires on both vessels and raised concerns about a possible fuel leak,as reported by officials from HM Coastguard.

#### Details of the incident

The collision took place around 10:00 UTC on Monday when the **Solong** collided with the port side of the stationary **Stena Immaculate**, which was anchored near Hull while waiting for a berth at Killingholme Port.

The Stena Immaculate is a 183-meter-long tanker registered in the United States and operated by Crowley Maritime Corporation. it was transporting 220,000 barrels of Jet-A1 fuel across 16 separate cargo tanks. Following the impact,at least one tank was reported to be ruptured; however,it remains uncertain how much fuel may have leaked into surrounding waters.

Cal Hayden, Vice President of Global Ship Management at Crowley Maritime Corporation stated, “Our foremost concern is ensuring mariner safety and protecting our environment during all operations.”

#### Emergency Response Efforts

In response to this emergency situation, an extensive rescue operation was initiated that included two helicopters from HM Coastguard, several RNLI lifeboats, a fixed-wing aircraft from coastguard services, along with multiple firefighting vessels.

Matthew Atkinson from HM Coastguard confirmed that all 36 crew members aboard were successfully evacuated to safety; though, one individual required hospitalization due to injuries sustained during the incident. Sadly, one crew member from Solong remains unaccounted for despite thorough search efforts.

Crowley has assured that all personnel aboard stena Immaculate are safe and accounted for following this distressing event.

#### Ongoing Assessments and Investigations

Currently underway is an evaluation by The Maritime and Coastguard Agency regarding potential environmental pollution stemming from this incident while both ships continue to experiance fire outbreaks. Coordination efforts are being led by The Secretary of State’s Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention alongside salvors and insurance representatives.

“The situation is still developing,” noted Atkinson as he promised further updates would be shared as they become available.

At present time under charter with Military sealift Command (MSC), Stena immaculate participates in U.S.Maritime Governance’s Tanker Security Program (TSP).It had been anchored awaiting its scheduled delivery when struck by Solong—a routine operation now overshadowed by this unfortunate accident.

Hayden added further context: “While engaged in service for MSC during this voyage under TSP guidelines at Killingholme Port awaiting berth availability when it was impacted—details regarding any potential fuel release remain unclear.”

as investigations proceed into what caused this collision—foul play has not been ruled out but also not suspected—authorities continue their inquiries into every aspect surrounding these events.

### Understanding TSP’s Role Amidst Crisis: Insights on Tanker Security Program