U.S.-Leased Tanker Collides with Cargo Vessel off UK Coast and Catches Fire

On the morning of March 10, local time, a U.S. military-chartered tanker collided with a Portuguese container freighter in North Sea waters east of East Yorkshire, England. After the collision, the tanker caught fire and emitted a large amount of black smoke, the British Coast Guard deployed helicopters, airplanes and fire-fighting vessels to carry out large-scale rescue and fire-fighting operations. The aviation fuel loaded on the tanker burned and leaked into the sea after the collision, which may have a long-term impact on the marine ecosystem, and the relevant parties are assessing the extent of the environmental damage.