A shipping disaster has occurred in the North Sea, after the 900 TEU boxship ‘Solong’ collided with the US-flagged tanker ‘Stena Immaculate’.
Both vessels caught fire immediately after the collision. However, according to the latest updates, the fire on board the Stena Immaculate is now under control, while on the Solong it has been completely extinguished.
Almost all the tanker’s crew have been evacuated. Some seafarers have been hospitalized due to burns and smoke inhalation.
The tanker has sustained critical damage to its superstructure. Its hull is also compromised.
Strong concerns remain over a possible environmental disaster. The Stena Immaculate was carrying a large quantity of crude oil at the time of the collision.
The cause of the accident is still not known .
Translation by Giles Foster