An update from the Coastguard.
Chief Coastguard Pat O’Callaghan said: His Majesty’s Coastguard is supporting the Secretary of State’s Representative (SOSREP) in the response to the collision between two vessels, the Solong and Stena Immaculate, that occurred yesterday morning (10 March) off the coast of East Yorkshire.
The Solong is still alight and the fire on board the Stena Immaculate has greatly diminished. Safety vessels and other vessels with firefighting capabilities are still on scene with more arriving today.
At 11.20pm last night the Solong separated from the Stena Immaculate and began to drift southwards, this is being monitored by HM Coastguard. An exclusion zone of 1km radius has been put in place around both vessels.
The Counter Pollution and Salvage Team is assessing the situation and is developing a plan ready for implementation as soon as the situation allows.
The SOSREP is working with ship owners, salvors and insurance companies.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is monitoring the situation closely and has confirmed that air quality at ground level is currently within normal levels for the weather conditions.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is also assisting in the response, and has advised that any public health risk on shore is currently deemed to be very low.
UKHSA risk assessments are under continual review as further information becomes available.
