Officials have not ruled out foul play after the U.S.-flagged MV Stena Immaculate was struck by a Portuguese-flagged container ship on Monday while at anchor off the coast of the U.K.
The company that manages the ship, Crowley, said in a statement that the accident happened at 5 a.m. EST while the Stena Immaculate was anchored in the North Sea.
“The Stena Immaculate sustained a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel due to the allision,” the company said. “A fire occurred as a result of the allision, and fuel was reported released.”
The crew abandoned the ship after multiple explosions were reported. Currently everyone on the ship has been accounted for.
“Crowley immediately initiated its emergency vessel response plan and is actively working with public agencies to contain the fire and secure the vessel,” the company added. “Our first priority is the safety of the people and environment. We will provide more updates as information becomes available.”
USNI News reported that the ship was under a 70-day contract by Military Sealift Command to support the Defense Logistics Agency, which is responsible for managing fuel for the United States military.
“The collision and ensuing explosions will not impact operations or combat readiness,” a United States official told Reuters. “We do not have a single point of failure.”
Officials said that foul play could not be ruled out as a possibility, The Telegraph reported.
