The dramatic collision between an oil tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea yesterday is far from over this morning as fires continue to burn and toxic chemicals risk spilling into the ocean and one crew member missing.
The Coastguard rescued 36 people following the catastrophic crash between the US-registered Stena Immaculate, which was carrying jet fuel for the US military, and Portuguese cargo ship Solong - which was carrying sodium cyanide.
However, one crew member from the Portuguese ship remains unaccounted for and the search has been called off, the BBC reports.
Crowley, which manages the US tanker, said there had been "multiple explosions" onboard after the ship suffered a ruptured cargo tank.
At least some jet fuel has spilled into the North Sea off the Humber Estuary.
Meanwhile, wildlife bodies have warned of the potentially devastating impact of any spill on birds and sea life.
The Times reports that the RSPB said it was “extremely concerned” about the collision, while the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust called it a “very worrying incident”.
Martin Slater, the director of operations at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust told The Times: “If pollution spillage enters the Humber, this could potentially be devastating for the wildlife of the estuary, including important fish stocks and tens of thousands of overwintering and migrating birds who use the mud flats."
The Daily Mail this morning reports speculation one of the ships could have been "hacked", with a White House official refusing to rule out the possibility of foul play.