 "Fire and rescue service crews respond to a collision between oil tanker and a cargo ship off the northeastern coast of England in this picture obtained by Reuters on March 10, 2025. File Image/Reuters")
A catastrophic collision unfolded in the North Sea on Monday morning when a US military-chartered oil tanker, Stena Immaculate, was struck by a Portuguese-flagged cargo ship, Solong, approximately 10 miles (16 km) off the northeast coast of England.
The impact of the collision resulted in a massive fire, multiple explosions, and a large-scale rescue operation involving helicopters, lifeboats, and fixed-wing aircraft.
The collision has also triggered severe environmental concerns as the cargo vessel was carrying large quantities of sodium cyanide — a highly toxic chemical — and the tanker held thousands of barrels of jet fuel.
The collision occurred at around 10:00 am local time (6:00 am ET), according to real-time tracking data from VesselFinder. The Solong, en route from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, Netherlands, collided at high speed with the Stena Immaculate, which was anchored in the North Sea.
The resulting impact ruptured the tanker’s cargo, causing jet fuel and marine diesel to spill into the sea while igniting an intense fire on both vessels.
The incident has led to grave concerns over a potential environmental disaster, as marine conservationists and emergency response teams scramble to contain the spill and prevent the spread of hazardous chemicals.
Additionally, one crew member from Solong remains missing, despite an extensive search and rescue operation.
Timeline of events leading to the North Sea collision
According to VesselFinder, Stena Immaculate was anchored off the coast of Immingham, England, awaiting clearance for refuelling at Killingholme when Solong approached from the north at a speed of 16 knots.
The tanker, carrying thousands of tons of Jet-A1 military-grade fuel and marine diesel, was stationary with a drift speed of just 0.1 knots.
At approximately 10:00 am local time, Solong rammed directly into Stena Immaculate, causing a large rupture in the tanker’s cargo tank. Within moments, the fuel began leaking into the sea, and the collision triggered a series of explosions on board the tanker, setting both ships ablaze.
Crowley, the US logistics firm that manages Stena Immaculate, confirmed in a statement that there were “multiple explosions on board” after the initial impact, adding that a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel was primarily responsible for the fire’s rapid escalation.
Emergency response teams were immediately deployed, with the British coast guard coordinating a rescue operation. Helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and several lifeboats rushed to the scene to evacuate the crew members.
Thick black smoke was seen billowing over the North Sea as firefighting boats struggled to contain the blaze.
Out of Solong’s 14 crew members, 13 were rescued, while one crew member remained missing as of late Monday. Meanwhile, all 36 crew members of Stena Immaculate were successfully evacuated, though several required medical attention upon reaching the shore.
The British coast guard officially declared the rescue operation for the missing crew member of Solong closed by Monday evening, with no trace of the individual found.
Crowley also confirmed that Stena Immaculate suffered severe structural damage and was rendered inoperable, while Solong sustained heavy hull damage.
Why the environmental impact could be devastating
The collision has triggered grave concerns about environmental damage, given the highly hazardous cargo aboard both ships. According to maritime intelligence firm Lloyd’s List, Solong was carrying 15 containers of sodium cyanide, a highly toxic chemical commonly used in gold mining, alongside an undisclosed quantity of alcohol.
In the event of contact with water, sodium cyanide can rapidly convert into hydrogen cyanide gas, which is lethal to both humans and marine life.
Additionally, Stena Immaculate was loaded with Jet-A1 fuel — a highly flammable aviation-grade fuel primarily used for military aircraft — and marine diesel.
According to Crowley, the tanker was under a long-term charter with the US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to supply fuel to US military bases in the Mediterranean. The vessel had departed from Agioi Theodoroi, Greece, and was scheduled to dock at Killingholme, England, for fuel resupply.
The collision resulted in a major spill of jet fuel into the North Sea. Marine ecotoxicologists have warned that the leaked fuel could pose severe threats to the marine ecosystem in the Humber estuary, especially since the area is home to protected seabird colonies, porpoises, Atlantic grey seals, and critical fish stocks.
“Whilst the images look worrying, from the perspective of the impact to the aquatic environment it’s less of a concern than if this had been crude oil because most of the jet fuel will evaporate very quickly,” Dr. Mark Sephton, Professor of Organic Geochemistry at Imperial College London, explained.
However, the more alarming threat is the potential release of sodium cyanide from Solong. According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), sodium cyanide, when exposed to seawater, can transform into hydrogen cyanide gas, which is extremely lethal to marine life and humans.
Greenpeace UK issued a statement expressing “serious concerns” that the sodium cyanide could already be seeping into the water.
“As more information emerges about what the ships were carrying, we are extremely concerned about the multiple toxic hazards these chemicals could pose to marine life. The jet fuel that entered the water close to a breeding ground for harbour porpoises is toxic to fish and other sea creatures,” Dr. Paul Johnston, Senior Scientist at Greenpeace Research Laboratories, told CNN.
Environmentalists have also expressed deep concern because of the proximity of the collision site to critical marine ecosystems.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust confirmed that the Humber estuary is home to thousands of seabirds, including puffins, razorbills, and kittiwakes, alongside harbour porpoises and grey seals.
“East Yorkshire’s coast is home to protected and significant colonies of seabirds including puffins, razorbills, gannets and kittiwakes,” Sky News quoted Martin Slater, director of operations at the Trust.
“Many birds are gathering offshore on the sea ahead of the nesting season. There are significant numbers of Atlantic grey seals in the area, many rearing this year’s young, as well as porpoises and other cetaceans around Spurn.”
“If pollution spillage enters the Humber, this could potentially be devastating for the wildlife of the estuary, including important fish stocks and tens of thousands of overwintering and migrating birds who use the mud flats.”
Additionally, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) warned that a large oil spill near England’s largest gannet colony could result in widespread seabird fatalities. Authorities have already begun deploying counter-pollution response teams to contain the damage.
What we know about the cause of the North Sea collison
The cause of the collision remains unclear, raising serious questions about maritime navigation and safety protocols. Real-time tracking data showed that Stena Immaculate was stationary, while Solong was moving at a high speed of 16 knots when the collision occurred.
Experts and port authorities are questioning how the cargo ship failed to detect a stationary vessel in its path despite advanced radar and navigational technology.
Martyn Boyers, Chief Executive of the Port of Grimsby East, expressed disbelief, telling CNN, “It seems a mystery, really, because all the vessels now have very highly sophisticated technical equipment to plot courses and to look at any obstacles or anything they’ve got to avoid.”
“It’s difficult to actually suggest what went on, other than the fact it should never have happened,” he added.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) and the Marine and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have launched a joint investigation to determine the cause of the collision. Maritime security experts have ruled out malicious activity or sabotage, suggesting that it could be a case of severe navigational error or mechanical failure.
“How did that vessel continue plowing into the berth vessel? There must have been some warning signs. They must have been able to detect it on the radar,” Boyers told CNN.
As investigations continue, both Stena Immaculate and Solong remain at the collision site. The fire aboard Stena Immaculate was still burning as of late Monday, while salvage teams were working to stabilise both vessels.
The British government, along with the US Department of Defense, has pledged immediate cleanup operations to minimise the environmental impact. The collision’s cause remains under investigation, and the missing crew member from Solong has yet to be located.
With inputs from agencies
Anmol is a Senior Sub-Editor with Firstpost. He likes to cover stories that intrigue him, generally revolving around international polity, Indian foreign policy, human interest, environment and even the politically-charged election cycles in India. He has far too many disparate interests with a constant itch for travel. Having visited fourteen states in the Indian subcontinent, he is always on the lookout for opportunities to add more to the list. He enjoys watching Football, Tennis and F1 purely as a sports enthusiast.