A TANKER and cargo ship collided in dense fog yesterday — with a rescuer admitting: “It’s a miracle they didn’t all die.”
The trawlerman was with dozens of small boats which responded to the North Sea mayday call just before 10am.
Rescue boats with firefighting gear try to put out the North Sea inferno off Hull[/caption]
Multiple explosions tore through US-flagged oil tanker the Stena Immaculate, loaded with ten million gallons of fuel for war planes.
It was anchored when hit by the Portuguese-flagged Solong — carrying highly toxic sodium cyanide.
The impact tore a hole in the Stena’s cargo tank.
Jet fuel spilled into the sea, ignited then engulfed both ships in a fireball.
Crew dived into life-rafts as a major operation swung into action ten miles off Hull.
Last night one of Solong’s crew was missing but 36 others on both ships were accounted for.
The trawlerman, who did not give his name, said: “We were two miles away when the mayday call came in. When we approached it was very scary. We could see the plumes of smoke. There was a really strong smell of fuel burning.
“We were told there was a person missing at sea and to begin a search. Crew began abandoning both ships around 30 minutes later.
“Its a miracle they didn’t all die. The fog was pretty horrendous.”
The alarm was raised at 9.48am. A mayday call urged vessels “with firefighting equipment or who can assist with search and rescue to contact Humber Coast Guard on Channel 16”.
It added: “Vessel Stena Immaculate is carrying Jet A-1 fuel which is on fire and in the water. Request vessels remain at a safe distance.”
Lifeboats scrambled from Bridlington, Cleethorpes, Mablethorpe and Skegness, along with East Midlands Ambulance Service.
By 2.34pm crew from the ships were brought to shore in Grimsby.
The Stena Immaculate is one of ten tankers which serve the US military and is seen as critical to national security.
A White House official refused to rule out foul play.
They confirmed the 50,000-ton tanker was carrying military jet fuel, adding: “The collision and explosions will not impact operations or combat readiness.”
The tanker was anchored off Hull after travelling from Agioi Theodoroi in Greece.
Meanwhile, the 460ft Solong had left Grangemouth, Scotland, and was approaching at 16 knots (18mph).
Multiple explosions tore through US-flagged oil tanker the Stena Immaculate, loaded with ten million gallons of fuel for war planes[/caption]
It was anchored when hit by the Portuguese-flagged Solong — carrying highly toxic sodium cyanide[/caption]
Experts said it would have taken the Stena an hour to haul up the anchor — leaving it a sitting duck.
US naval history professor Sal Mercogliano said it had struck the Stena’s port side and pushed it for some distance.
The Solong’s cargo included 15 containers of sodium cyanide used for metal cleaning, plating and extraction, and photography.
It was very scary. We could see the plumes of smoke and smell the fuel
Trawlerman
The chemical can react with water to make hydrogen cyanide gas but it is unclear how much got into the sea.
Frantic efforts were being made to assess the environmental impact.
Greenpeace UK said the scale of the disaster would depend on the size of spill, speed of response, weather and sea conditions.
Unlike crude oil, which breaks up more slowly, the fuel is classed as “non-persistent” or “light oil” and will evaporate very quickly.
But it can still be deadly to wildlife.
East Yorkshire’s coast is home to protected seabirds such as puffins, razorbills, gannets and kittiwakes.
