A Portuguese cargo ship flying the Portuguese flag collided with a US military fuel tanker off the coast of Hull yesterday. This incident sparked fires on both ships. Following the collision, the Russian captain was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter due to one crew member going missing and 36 others being rescued.
The collision led to the breach of tanks holding 220,000 barrels of jet fuel, resulting in spills into the North Sea. The environmental ramifications are of great concern since the cargo ship was transporting hazardous sodium cyanide, posing a threat to local wildlife such as whales, dolphins, and seabirds.