US tanker carrying jet fuel hit by container ship off coast of UK, sparking fire

A tanker ship anchored off the coast of the United Kingdom in the North Sea was struck by a container ship on Monday morning, sparking a fire and causing concern about water pollution.Crowley, the U.S.-based company that manages the tanker, which is called the Stena Immaculate, said the collision caused a tank carrying Jet A-1 fuel to rupture. Fuel from the tank was reportedly released, and both the Stena Immaculate and the Solong container ship caught fire. A photo from Monday shows thick black smoke clouding the sky at the collision site. Crowley said the crew aboard the Stena Immaculate abandoned the ship due to explosions on the vessel. HM Coastguard said crew members from Solong also abandoned ship due to fire. HM Coastguard said it was called to respond to the collision on Monday morning, sending a Coastguard Rescue Helicopter, four lifeboats, a fixed-wing aircraft and other vessels with fire-fighting capability. Crowley said in a statement all the mariners aboard the Stena were safe and accounted for. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution said one of the four lifeboats was recalled around 11:40 a.m., while the other three lifeboats continued to help with search and rescue.  HM Coastguard said it is doing an assessment of the counter-pollution response required from the collision. An investigation into the collision is ongoing.