Oil tanker and cargo vessel collide off East Yorkshire coast

The coastguard says it's co-ordinating an emergency response to reports of a collision between a tanker and cargo vessel off the coast of East Yorkshire.

A Coastguard helicopter has been called, as well as an aircraft and several lifeboats.

The RNLI said there were reports "that a number of people had abandoned the vessels following a collision and there were fires on both ships".

In a statement HMCG said: "HM Coastguard is currently co-ordinating the emergency response to reports of a collision between a tanker and cargo vessel off the coast of East Yorkshire. The alarm was raised at 9.48am.

"A Coastguard Rescue Helicopter from Humberside was called, alongside lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Mablethorpe and Cleethorpes, an HM Coastguard fixed wing aircraft, and nearby vessels with fire-fighting capability. The incident remains ongoing."

The collision is believed to have involved a US-flagged tanker called the MV Stena Immaculate.

The American tanker was at anchor, according to ship tracking tool Vesselfinder.

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