Footage shows an oil tanker and a cargo vessel on fire in the North Sea
Esme Stallard
Climate and science reporter
More than 30 people have been rescued following a collision between an oil tanker and a cargo vessel in the North Sea off the coast of East Yorkshire.
An emergency response has been ongoing since around 10:00 GMT on Monday and one vessel is believed to be leaking fuel into the sea. Here is what we know so far.
What are the ships involved in the incident?
The Stena Immaculate is a US-flagged oil and chemical tanker, which was on its way to Hull after departing from a Greek port, according to ship tracking site MarineTraffic.
The Solong is a Portuguese-flagged container vessel with capacity to carry 9,500 tonnes of cargo.
It had been making its way south from the Scottish port of Grangemouth to Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Photos and videos from the scene showed large clouds of smoke billowing out from the oil tanker, and the company which manages the Stena Immaculate has reported “multiple explosions”.
What were the ships carrying and has there been environmental damage?
The Stena Immaculate was carrying jet fuel – which, a US official confirmed to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, was being transported on behalf of the American military.
The US maintains several military facilities in the UK.
Crowley, the company which manages the vessel, confirmed that fuel had been released into the sea, though HM Coastguard said the extent of any pollution was still being assessed.
Jet fuel has a high boiling point, meaning it will evaporate slowly and is relatively toxic.
Marine life that comes into contact with it may be killed. This type of fuel can be broken down in the water by bacteria and it appears from images some of it has already caught fire and been burnt off.
The Solong was carrying 15 containers of sodium cyanide among its cargo, according to a report from maritime data provider Lloyd’s List Intellige
