A major maritime accident unfolded off the coast of England when a cargo ship carrying toxic chemicals collided with a tanker transporting jet fuel for the U.S. military. The crash set both ships ablaze and led to a fuel spill in the North Sea, raising environmental concerns.
Out of the 37 crew members on board both vessels, 36 were rescued, but one crew member from the cargo ship, Solong, remains missing. The British Coast Guard, which led a large-scale rescue operation, later confirmed they had ended the search.
The Solong, a Portugal-flagged container ship, was on its way from Scotland to the Netherlands when it struck the Stena Immaculate, a U.S.-flagged tanker that had arrived from Greece. The impact ruptured one of the Stena Immaculate’s cargo tanks, causing a fire and multiple explosions. The Solong was also carrying sodium cyanide, a chemical that can release toxic gas if it mixes with water, but it’s unclear if any of it leaked.
A Race to Contain the Damage
The collision triggered a swift response from lifeboats, coast guard aircraft, and nearby commercial vessels. Despite thick fog, emergency teams worked for hours to rescue crew members and contain the fires, which were still burning 12 hours later.
Authorities are now assessing the environmental risks, particularly the fuel spill. However, scientists suggest that jet fuel evaporates more quickly than crude oil, meaning the long-term impact might be less severe. Still, with busy fishing grounds and seabird colonies nearby, environmental groups like Greenpeace warn that it’s too early to rule out serious damage.
Investigators are now trying to determine what went wrong. A maritime expert suggested that the cargo ship’s crew may not have been properly monitoring their radar, which could have led to the crash. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office stated that details are still emerging, and a full investigation is underway.
For now, the priority remains containing any pollution and determining how such a dangerous collision could have happened in one of the world’s busiest shipping routes.
