Experts are sounding alarms over the environmental implications of a collision involving the Stena Immaculate oil tanker and the cargo ship Solong, which occurred off the Yorkshire coast.

The incident, which took place on Monday morning, has resulted in fires burning on both vessels for over 24 hours.

A search operation for a crew member reported missing has been suspended.

Initial investigations into the cause of the collision are underway, with Downing Street confirming there is currently no evidence of foul play.

The German maritime firm Ernst Russ, owner of the Solong, has clarified that their vessel was not transporting containers filled with sodium cyanide, countering earlier reports.

Following the collision, the Solong separated from the Stena Immaculate at 11:20 PM on Monday, approximately 13 hours after the incident, and has begun drifting southwards.

The HM Coastguard has established a 1-kilometer exclusion zone around the vessels as they monitor the situation.

Environmental experts have expressed serious concerns about the potential ecological impact of jet fuel leaking from the Stena Immaculate.

Dr. Simon Boxall, an oceanography academic at the University of Southampton, highlighted that the released Jet A-1 fuel poses significantly higher toxicity risks to both human and marine life compared to crude oil, predicting potentially catastrophic consequences for the local marine ecosystem.

The collision occurred near critical habitats for harbour porpoises and other protected marine wildlife.

Sandy Luk, the chief executive of the Marine Conservation Society, noted the importance of the Humber estuary and the Wash as a vital ecosystem hosting hundreds of thousands of seabirds, as well as seals and their pups.

She emphasized uncertainty about how pollutants from the spill would behave in the water, which is contingent on variables such as weather conditions and ocean currents.

Dr. Paul Johnston, a senior scientist from the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at Exeter University, added that the jet fuel poses a serious threat to fish and other marine organisms, especially given the proximity to breeding grounds for sensitive species like harbour porpoises.

A crew member from the Stena Immaculate recounted the chaotic moments of the collision, describing the Solong as having approached unexpectedly, leaving minimal time for the crew to react.

The evacuation from the burning tanker took around 30 minutes, with reports of flames threatening crew members as they escaped.

After reporting its coordinates on Sunday, the Stena Immaculate had anchored in the collision area, which should have made it visible to other vessels.

Maritime expert Dr. Seyedvahid Vakili from the University of Southampton noted that human factors are often critical in such incidents, emphasizing the need for thorough investigation.

Matthew Pennycook, a government minister, stated that coastguard aircraft are currently monitoring the incident site, while the Maritime and Coastguard Agency is working to assess the pollution impact.

He indicated that the agency is equipped to manage and mitigate oil spills, asserting that current air quality levels remain within normal ranges.

The Stena Immaculate was reported to be carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel in 16 segregated cargo tanks at the time of the incident.