North Sea tanker collision – what we know so far
A crew member was missing, and a cargo ship attacked more than 30 people on Monday in a tanker in the North Sea near the England coast.
One of the ships is still on fire on Tuesday, with experts warning of potential devastating environmental damage.
Humberside police arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of aggravated manslaughter in connection with the collision. So far, this is what we know.
How did the crash happen?
The Portuguese flag ship hit a larger tanker in the waters near Hull before 10:00 on Monday.
The Stena Immaculate tanker was fixed there after the hull from the Greek port. The American ship has been transporting jet fuel to the U.S. military.
The Zoro container ship sailed south from Scotland to the Netherlands.
An American sailor from Stena Immaculate described the collision point of CBS, a BBC’s American partner.
He said “A big ship comes out of blue” The people on board had only a few seconds of reaction. He didn’t give him a name because the crew is not allowed to talk to the media at this time.
The sailor said that after the crash, flames broke out from the ship immediately.
A man on Stena Immaculate told the BBC that Solong collided with the anchored Stena Immaculate in 16 junctions (about 18 mph).
The data tracking of the site’s water flow rack seemed to indicate that one ship was moving, and the other was almost stationary when the collision occurred.
It is not clear what caused the cargo ship to hit the tanker.
Martyn Boyers, CEO of Grimsby East, told Sky News that the area was “very foggy” on Monday morning, which could have caused visibility issues.
Meanwhile, a rescue worker told The Times that during the initial search, the fog was so thick that the crew “can’t see anything.”
What is the current situation?
The British Coast Guard said the base was still down, and the fires on the ship were “immortal” and “significantly reduced”.
“Safety vessels and other fire-capable vessels are still on site and have arrived more today,” it said in a statement.
Authorities added that Zoro was drifting south. Both containers have a 1 km radius of exclusion zone.
The British Transport Minister said the maritime accident investigation department has begun preliminary assessments of the crash and early signs that both ships are now expected to remain alive.
Heidi Alexander added: “Solong can be dragged off shore and salvage can be carried out.”
What about the crew?
One of the 14 Zoro crew members was cancelled Monday night after a “extensive search” but was still believed to be dead, the Coast Guard said. They have not yet confirmed.
Whitehall sources told BBC News that Zoro’s crew included Russians and Filipinos.
All 23 crew members on the Stenna Immactule are believed to be Americans currently in Grimsby and are likely to be repatriated in due course.
Ernst Russ, German owner of Solong, said their “first idea” was to be with the family of the missing crew during this uncertain and painful time.
Supt Craig Nicholson, senior investigator of the Humberside Police Department, said the expert officer was tasked with contacting and supporting the missing sailors’ families.
He also said the 59-year-old was arrested for the collision.
Meanwhile, the entire Stena Immaculate staff managed to evacuate safely in the disaster.
Steiner Sailors said that after the Dragon hit them, the crew on the tanker tried to put out the fire, but they realized it was futile – so they decided to give up the ship.
The crew grabbed their basic belongings from the cabin – after putting everyone into practice, boarded the lifeboat.
The sailors said their captain was the last one to leave the ship. He described the flames licking the crew as they headed to the lifeboat. Some even sing about their hair.
He told CBS that the whole process took about 30 minutes.
A total of 36 crew members of the two ships were taken back to shore. One person was taken to the hospital.
Where does it happen?
The collision occurred in a busy transport area, about 13 miles (20 km) from the East Yorkshire coast near Hull and Grimsby.
According to Marinetraffic, Stena Immaculate’s anchor was anchored and anchored at 09:48 and drifted at 0.1 knot.
The tanker has been fixed there since Sunday night, and Zoro has been approaching from the north after leaving from Grangemouth, Scotland the same night.
What do we know about the ship and what do they carry?
The ship is just the tanker MV Stena Immactule and a cargo ship called Solong. Here is a graph that helps you understand their comparison:
Stena Immaculate is a ship of American fighter jets that has been transporting jet fuel to the U.S. military.
Crowley, the company that manages Stena Immactulate, said it was unclear how much fuel might be released, but the tanker carried 220,000 barrels of jet fuel when it hit.
Zoro drove south from the Scottish port of Grangemouth to Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Operator Ernst Russ said Tuesday that the ship has not yet carried a container of sodium cyanide – previously reported.
What are environmental risks?
Stena Immaculate owners confirmed that at least one tanker had broken. However, it is not clear how much jet fuel is entering the water.
Jet fuel is toxic and if the fuel intake can kill marine life, it can then be harmful to seabirds that feed on them.
Some fuel has been burned, but the jet fuel has a high boiling point and therefore evaporates slowly.
Experts say the extent of the risk will depend on how much fuel is leaked and how quickly the authorities include the leak. This also depends on natural conditions, such as the rate at which bacteria can break down the liquid.
Local wildlife trusts warn that there could be “destructive” effects on local habitats and species, including threatened seabird colonies, ash seals, port dolphins, fish and mike whales.
Solong’s owners said it is “actively involved” with local authorities and will work with the cleaning team to “mitigate further impacts on the marine environment.”
what to do?
Dr. Paul Johnson of Greenpeace Laboratory at the University of Exeter said the cleanup needs to be “started as soon as possible.”
He told the BBC that this would be “very difficult, very time-consuming” and would require “a significant investment in heavy equipment”.
The operation is still focused on the ship’s containment. But animal charity says they are on standby to treat any injured birds and marine life washed on shore.
The UK is responsible for responding to marine pollution up to 200 nautical miles from the land, and a professional coast guard is expected to lead the effort.
After finding the source of the spill, the team will work to prevent the use of various methods to spread the fuel.
Options include deploying an inflatable tube called Booms, which is several hundred meters long and placed on the water to prevent oil from spreading.
Teams can also use mechanical equipment called skimmers, designed to float on the ground, and the pumps load oil into waste storage units.
Chemical dispersions can also be used. This involves spraying specially formulated dispersant from a modified aircraft or ship that destroys oil into smaller droplets.
