A high-stakes rescue operation unfolded Monday morning after a U.S.-flagged oil tanker and a cargo ship collided in the North Sea, setting both vessels ablaze.

Emergency responders rushed to the scene off the eastern coast of England, working to save crew members and contain the fire, as reported by The Western Journal.

Reports confirmed at least 32 casualties had been brought ashore, though details about their condition remained uncertain. Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, described the chaotic scene as rescue boats ferried in survivors.

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Boyers stated that they had 13 casualties brought in on a Windcat 33 vessel, followed by another 19 on a harbor pilot boat.

Britain’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency mobilized a full-scale response, dispatching several lifeboats, a coast guard rescue helicopter, a patrol plane, and vessels equipped with firefighting systems.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) confirmed that multiple crew members abandoned their ships after the violent collision ignited both vessels.

“There were reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels following a collision, and there were fires on both ships,” the RNLI noted in a statement.

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Dramatic footage aired by the BBC captured the chaos, showing thick black smoke billowing from the burning ships. According to Boyers, eyewitnesses described the impact as a “massive fireball.”

An oil tanker and cargo vessel have collided in just off Bridlington, North Yorkshire.

Our thoughts are with all involved, and of course our emergency service colleagues with @HMCoastguard and @RNLI. pic.twitter.com/9vERyJu7lG

— The Secret Firefighter UK (@TheSecretFF999) March 10, 2025

While the accident occurred about 10 miles offshore, he noted, “We’ve seen the vessels bringing the injured in.”

Tracking data from VesselFinder identified the tanker as the MV Stena Immaculate, a chemical and oil products carrier sailing under a U.S. flag. The vessel had been anchored at the time of the crash after traveling from Greece.

The cargo ship involved, the Portugal-flagged Solong, was en route from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Authorities said the alarm was raised at 9:48 a.m., prompting immediate action from emergency responders.

The crash site, located off the coast of Hull—approximately 155 miles north of London—remains under investigation as officials work to determine what led to the collision.