North Sea Oil Tanker Fire Continues as US Investigates Causes

Chemical Tanker Collides with Portuguese Vessel Near UK Waters

A U.S. chemical tanker, the Stena Immaculate, carrying approximately 35 million liters of aviation fuel for the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command, was involved in a collision with the Portuguese vessel Solong. The fuel onboard the tanker has a high boiling point, meaning it evaporates slowly and is relatively toxic.

The Solong was transporting 15 containers of toxic sodium cyanide when the accident occurred. According to CBS News, an unnamed American sailor aboard the Stena Immaculate described the incident, saying, “a massive ship came from out of the blue” before the vessels crashed.

Following the collision, one crew member from the Solong remains missing, with search efforts having been called off last night. The remaining 13 members of its crew have been accounted for, as have all 23 crew members aboard the Stena Immaculate.

Speaking to the BBC on Tuesday, British government minister Pennycook stated that the U.K. coast guard and emergency services were responding to what he described as a “particularly fast-moving, dynamic situation.”

“At this stage, there is only so much I can say, but investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the crash,” he explained.

He further noted that the inquiry is being led by U.S. and Portuguese authorities, as the respective flag states of the ships involved, while U.K. authorities are assisting, particularly concerning the potential environmental impact of the incident.