A large ship unexpectedly appeared: Sailor recounts North Sea collision.

 

It was the last thing the crew expected: a cargo ship that seemingly "came out of the blue" struck the Stena Immaculate oil tanker just before 10:00 GMT on Monday. The collision sparked fires, prompted a mass evacuation, and left one crew member missing.

As the fires continued to burn in the North Sea, eyewitness accounts illuminated the dramatic sequence of events that unfolded over 30 minutes. An experienced American sailor, who was aboard the oil tanker during the incident, provided CBS News—partnering with the BBC—a first-hand account of the escape.

The sailor, who chose not to reveal his name due to media restrictions on crew members, recounted hearing shouts to brace for impact just seconds before the two ships collided. He noted that the Solong cargo ship did not slow down immediately, driving into the tanker for what felt like ten minutes. Other crew members suggested that no one was on the bridge of the Solong at the time of the crash.

Flames erupted immediately from the vessel, and the crew quickly sprang into action, donning protective gear to combat the blaze. "Everybody had only seconds to react," the sailor remarked, praising his crewmates' bravery as they battled the inferno. He described their efforts as a "textbook" operation, thanks to their training for a disaster like this. However, after struggling against the flames for a while, they realized the situation was hopeless and decided to abandon the ship.

Crew members rushed to their cabins to grab essential belongings, including life jackets and emergency gear, before gathering at the mustering point. Once all crew members were accounted for, they boarded a lifeboat, with the captain being the last to leave the vessel. Some sailors reported singed hair due to the flames being so close.

Data from MarineTraffic indicates that the Solong was moving at the time of the collision, while the Stena Immaculate was nearly stationary when it was struck. The Stena Immaculate had been anchored and drifting at a speed of 0.1 knots (0.12 mph) at 09:48 GMT, while the Solong approached from the north at a speed of 16 knots (18 mph). Crowley, the company managing the Stena Immaculate, later confirmed that the collision ruptured its cargo tank, which was carrying jet fuel, leading to a fire and fuel spillage.

The alarm was raised with HM Coastguard shortly after the crash, and emergency services began arriving at the scene. By 10:20 GMT, lifeboats from Bridlington, Cleethorpes, Mablethorpe, and Skegness were deployed to assist in the response.

At approximately 14:30 GMT, crew members from both vessels were seen being brought to shore in Grimsby, where ambulances were lined up to provide aid. One crew member from the Stena Immaculate shared with BBC News that he left the ship with only his wallet and phone before boarding a lifeboat with his crewmates, who also evacuated with very few personal belongings.

It was later revealed that the Stena Immaculate was carrying jet fuel for the U.S. Department of Defense, while the Solong was transporting containers that had previously held the chemical sodium cyanide, among other cargo. Ernst Russ, the owner of the Solong, later reported that one of its 14 crew members was missing, a situation confirmed by the coastguard, which subsequently announced that the search had been called off.