Fire engulfs oil tanker as sailors rush to abandon ship after collision off Yorkshire coast

An oil tanker has been engulfed in flames after it collided with a container ship off the east coast of Yorkshire.

Sailors onboard the Stena Immaculate, which was carrying a “full load” of jet fuel, were forced to abandon ship after another vessel crashed into its port side while it was anchored at Humber Estuary earlier this morning.

Crew members from the Solong cargo vessel were also forced to abandon ship after the collision.

Lifeboats and firefighting teams have headed to the scene, with a coastguard resuce operation also being coordinated in the North Sea.

A coastguard rescue helicopter was quickly deployed from Humberside and lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes also responded to the incident.

Officials have confirmed that the alarm was first raised at 9.48am.

Describing it as an “ongoing incident”, the UK Coastguard said: “HM Coastguard is currently co-ordinating the emergency response to reports of a collision between a tanker and cargo vessel off the coast of East Yorkshire.

“The alarm was raised at 9.48am. A Coastguard Rescue Helicopter from Humberside was called, alongside lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Maplethorpe and Cleethorpes, an HM Coastguard fixed wing aircraft, and nearby vessels with fire-fighting capability. The incident remains ongoing.”