News

Oil tanker and cargo ship ablaze after collision in North Sea

Published

1 year ago

March 10, 2025

MILFORD HAVEN LINKS TO LARGE SCALE MARITIME RESCUE OPERATION

A MAJOR maritime disaster unfolded in the North Sea on Monday morning after a collision between an oil tanker and a cargo vessel resulted in multiple casualties and a large-scale emergency response. The incident, which occurred approximately 10 miles off the coast of East Yorkshire, has led to 32 people being brought ashore to Grimsby, with ongoing concerns for the welfare of any unaccounted crew members.

The vessels involved in the collision have been identified as the MV Stena Immaculate, a 183-metre-long oil tanker, and the Solong, a 140-metre-long cargo ship bound for Rotterdam. Tracking data indicates that the Solong struck the Stena Immaculate while it was anchored, leading to a severe impact that reportedly caused a “massive fireball.”

***US Flagged oil tanker Stena Immaculate: Ablaze after being hit by the Portuguese vessel MV Solong***

Massive rescue operation underway

Svitzer tugs have been deployed as part of the rescue operation. The company, well known in the Port of Milford Haven, has operated locally for many years. Some of the tug crew involved in the response off Grimsby will have previously worked alongside their counterparts in Milford Haven, strengthening the connection between the two maritime communities.

The tugs Svitzer Harty, Svitzer Josephine, Svitzer Madeline, Svitzer Laura, Svitzer Stanford, and Svitzer Castle are all in the area, indicating their involvement in the rescue effort.

***To the recue: Tug boat Svitzer Harty***

The alarm was raised at 9:48am, prompting an immediate response from HM Coastguard. A helicopter, fixed-wing aircraft, lifeboats from multiple locations, and vessels with fire-fighting capabilities were deployed to the scene. Casualties were swiftly transported to shore, with emergency services working to assess their conditions.

The Milford Haven Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) is not directly involved in the coordination of a major incident in the North Sea, as it primarily covers emergencies in its designated area along the Welsh coastline and surrounding waters. However, as part of the UK-wide Coastguard National Network, it will be providing support if and when additional resources or coordination assistance were required.

The UK Coastguard operates a centralized system where all MRCCs, including Milford Haven, are interconnected. This allows them to share information and resources during large-scale incidents. Milford Haven could contribute by handling overflow communications or deploying additional resources from its region.

Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, described the unfolding emergency, saying: “We were put on standby at around 11:00am to receive casualties. The first group of 13 were rescued by a crew transfer vessel, followed by another 10 on a harbour pilot boat. A further nine arrived soon after, bringing the total to 32. Ambulances were waiting at the port to take them to Princess Diana Hospital, and the area remains secured by police.”

***Fireball: Both ships were ingulfed in flames with reports of crew jumping overboard***

Weather and visibility factors

While the sea conditions were described as “reasonable,” with wave heights of around two metres, heavy fog and haze throughout the morning may have contributed to the collision. Despite the advanced navigation and radar technology on board modern vessels, visibility issues are being investigated as a potential factor in the incident.

Boyers added: “It’s very unusual for such a serious accident to happen given the technology these ships have. The fog this morning never lifted, so visibility may have been an issue.”

Crew safety and ongoing investigations

The BBC has confirmed that all crew members on board the Stena Immaculate are accounted for and safe. However, reports indicate that some crew members from the Solong may still be unaccounted for, and search operations continue.

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander expressed her concern, stating: “I’m concerned to hear of the collision between two vessels in the North Sea this morning and am liaising with officials and HM Coastguard as the situation develops. I want to thank all emergency service workers involved for their continued efforts in responding to the incident.”

Video footage circulating online appears to show thick black smoke rising from the vessels, reinforcing earlier reports that a fire broke out following the impact. Maritime safety investigators are working to determine the exact cause of the collision, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has been informed.

Impact beyond the North Sea

While the collision occurred off the East Yorkshire coast, the implications stretch far beyond. Milford Haven, one of the UK’s busiest ports, will be monitoring developments closely. As a major hub for energy shipments, including oil and gas, any disruption in maritime traffic has the potential to impact operations along the Welsh coast.

Marine expert Captain Glyn Garland from Sardis, Pembrokeshire, former supertanker captain and recently retired Marine Superintendent at Dragon LNG said that it was too early to speculate on the causes of the incident but would keep in touch with this newspaper more information becomes available.

Authorities are urging caution for vessels in the region as investigations continue.

The Pembrokeshire Herald will provide further updates as more details emerge.

Charity

Tenby club raises £1,000 for Wales Air Ambulance

Published

1 hour ago

May 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

TENBY INNER WHEEL CLUB has raised £1,000 for Wales Air Ambulance after holding a popular fish and chip supper fundraiser.

The club has supported the lifesaving charity for 12 years, raising £8,600 in total.

The latest event, held at the Boathouse in Saundersfoot, included both lunch and evening sittings, as well as a raffle.

The Inner Wheel Club of Tenby is a women’s organisation focused on friendship and service. It currently has 23 members who raise money for a range of good causes.

Karen Tulley, from the club, said: “Our members use our skills to promote and help good causes, while having plenty of fun at the same time.

“We are all aware that Wales Air Ambulance relies totally on donations and receives no government funding, which is why we are always keen to make this a really good event and raise as much money as we can.

“The air ambulance service is essential, particularly in rural areas.”

Following the fundraiser, Mike May, Wales Air Ambulance Regional Fundraising Manager, attended the club’s annual meeting, where he was presented with the £1,000 cheque.

He said: “A huge thank you to everyone at Inner Wheel Club of Tenby for raising a further £1,000 for our service.

“The members have fundraised for us for 12 years and in that time they have raised an incredible £8,600, which is amazing. We really do appreciate their ongoing support of our all-Wales charity.

“Fundraisers like these will ensure that the Wales Air Ambulance continues to be there for the people of Wales when they need us most.”

Wales Air Ambulance is a consultant-led service which takes hospital-standard treatment to patients and, if needed, transfers them directly to the most appropriate hospital.

The charity must raise £13m every year to keep its helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.

Pic: Mike May, Wales Air Ambulance Regional Fundraising Manager, at the cheque presentation.

Community

Protest planned outside police station calling for Chief Constable’s removal

Published

1 hour ago

May 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Campaigners accuse Dyfed-Powys Police of failing to safeguard children in Carmarthenshire

A PROTEST calling for the removal of Dyfed-Powys Police Chief Constable Dr Richard Lewis is due to take place outside Llanelli Police Station this weekend.

The demonstration, organised by campaign group Predator Awareness and activist Zack Griffiths, is scheduled for Saturday (May 23) at 11:00am.

Promotional material shared online claims the protest is being held because the current Chief Constable has “failed to safeguard the children of Carmarthenshire”.

Campaigners are urging members of the public to gather outside Llanelli Police Station under the slogan: “No more silence. No more excuses. Protect our children.”

The specific concerns behind the protest have not been fully outlined publicly, although organisers have linked it to wider safeguarding concerns.

When approached by The Herald, Dyfed-Powys Police confirmed officers were aware of the planned demonstration.

***Protest planned: Campaigners are calling for the removal of Dyfed-Powys Police Chief Constable Dr Richard Lewis (Pic: supplied).***

A police spokesperson said: “We are aware of plans for a protest in Llanelli this weekend.

“We will always seek to facilitate lawful peaceful protest while balancing it with the rights of others, keeping the public safe, and preventing crime and disorder — and we encourage anyone organising a protest to contact us so we can work together to ensure any demonstrations are done safely and with respect for the wider community.”

The protest is expected to take place outside Llanelli Police Station on Saturday morning.

News

Bank holiday rail works to affect Cardiff and Valleys passengers

Published

1 hour ago

May 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PASSENGERS are being urged to plan ahead this bank holiday weekend as essential rail improvement works take place across the Cardiff and Valleys network.

Transport for Wales said all lines through Cardiff Queen Street will be closed on Sunday (May 24) and Bank Holiday Monday (May 25).

Rail replacement buses and service diversions will be in operation to keep passengers moving.

Services from Treherbert, Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil will continue to run into Cardiff Central via the City Line, through Ninian Park. Replacement buses will run between Radyr and Llandaf, Cathays, Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Bay.

The works come as warm weather is forecast and services to popular coastal destinations, including Barry Island and the North Wales coast, are expected to be busier than usual.

Passengers are also being reminded that a new timetable came into effect on Sunday (May 17), with some trains now calling at different stations and at different times.

Industrial action by West Midlands Railway is also expected to affect Shrewsbury to Wolverhampton and Hereford to Birmingham routes on Friday (May 22) and Saturday (May 23). TfW said its own services are likely to be busier as a result, with extra capacity provided where possible.

Sarah Higgins, Operations Director at Transport for Wales, said: “Transport for Wales will be running its normal timetable over the Bank Holiday weekend, but some services may be much busier than usual due to industrial action at West Midlands Railway affecting Shrewsbury–Birmingham and Hereford–Birmingham services on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 May.

“With high temperatures also forecast, customers are encouraged to take extra care when travelling, check for the latest travel information using the TfW website, mobile app, or social media channels, and to stay hydrated.”

On Sunday and Monday, buses will replace trains between Rhymney or Caerphilly and Cardiff Central, and between Radyr and Cardiff Central via Llandaf, Cathays and Cardiff Queen Street.

Penarth to Coryton services will terminate at Cardiff Central, with tickets accepted on Cardiff Bus routes 21, 23 and 27. On Monday only, tickets will also be valid on Cardiff Bus routes 92, 93 and 94 between Penarth and Cardiff city centre.

For the Cardiff Bay Line, tickets will be accepted on Cardiff Bus route 6, with an additional hourly bus running between Radyr and Cardiff Bay, calling at Llandaf, Cathays and Cardiff Queen Street.