Ships Burned Off English Coast After Mysterious Collision
WITHERNSEA: Two ships burned off the English coast today, a day after an unexplained collision that left a tanker carrying US army jet fuel with a gaping hole in its side, and a container ship adrift and likely to sink.
Unlikely to Stay Afloat
A crew member from the Portuguese-flagged container ship Solong was assumed dead and that ship was unlikely to stay afloat, junior transport minister Mike Kane told parliament. Thirty-six people were brought ashore following the incident and no others remain missing, the coast guard said.
Aerial TV Footage
Aerial TV footage today showed a gaping hole in Stena Immaculate’s hull, with fire damage along its length, although the flames that engulfed the vessel after the collision appeared to have subsided. "The Solong is still alight and the fire on board the Stena Immaculate has greatly diminished. Safety vessels and other vessels with firefighting capabilities are still on scene with more arriving today," the coastguard said in a statement.
Unexplained Incident
Authorities and operators of the vessels have yet to offer an explanation of how the crash happened, or why multiple safety systems on board modern vessels failed to prevent the crash. "Modelling suggests that should the Solong remain afloat, it will remain clear of land for the next few hours," Kane said. "The assessment of (the coast guard) is, however, that it is unlikely the vessel will remain afloat."
Environmental Impact
The potential environmental impact was being assessed, coordinated by the maritime and coast guard agency and an East of England environmental group, and the situation was being monitored overhead by plane, the government added. The coast guard statement cited the UK health security agency as saying that "any public health risk on shore is currently deemed to be very low."
FAQs
Q: What happened in the incident?
A: Two ships, Stena Immaculate and Solong, collided, causing a fire and explosion on board Stena Immaculate, and releasing fuel into the sea.
Q: How many people were on board the ships?
A: Thirty-six people were on board Stena Immaculate and an unknown number on board Solong.
Q: Is there any risk to public health?
A: The UK health security agency has deemed the public health risk on shore to be very low.
Q: What is the environmental impact of the incident?
A: The potential environmental impact is being assessed, but the situation is being monitored overhead by plane, and equipment to minimize pollution is on standby.
Q: Who is responsible for investigating the incident?
A: The US and Portuguese authorities, the flag states of the vessels, will investigate the incident.