A cargo ship has collided with a tanker carrying jet fuel for the US military, sparking a major rescue operation in the North Sea and sending fuel pouring into the waters. The incident occurred off the eastern coast of England on Monday local time. The US-flagged chemical tanker MV Stena Immaculate was said to be anchored near the port of Grimsby. The Portugal-flagged cargo ship Solong was en route from Scotland to the Netherlands when it collided with the stationary tanker, rupturing a cargo tank containing "Jet-A1 fuel," triggering a fire and spilling fuel into the sea. Lifeboats, coast guard aircraft and commercial vessels launched the rescue operation, with all 37 crew members aboard the vessels successfully rescued and accounted for. One person was hospitalised for treatment. Environmental organisations assert it is too early to assess any damage that may have been caused to marine life as a result of the collision and spillage.

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