Lincolnshire County Council environmental councillor responds to North Sea oil tanker crash
Lincolnshire’s coastline will hopefully not be damaged by the North Sea oil tanker crash, a county leader has said.
A cargo vessel collided with a tanker which was carrying jet fuel off the Grimsby shore on Monday morning.
Environmental groups have sounded the alarm about potential harm to the Lincolnshire and Yorkshire coastlines, and the wildlife that lives there.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, but say there is no indication yet that they will be damaged.
The Stena Immaculate tanker was carrying more than 200,000 barrels of fuel for the US military, while the Solong container ship had previously been carrying a toxic chemical.
Councillor Colin Davie (Con), the portfolio holder for the environment on Lincolnshire County Council, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “Any event like this on our coastline is a grave concern.
“We have some of the most beautiful beaches and important sites for birds and wildlife in the country.
“At the moment, there is no indication of an environmental catastrophe, but we don’t know for sure until it’s cleared.
“We are watching closely and are hopeful that environmental teams will deal with this effectively.”
He added that: “Provided nothing washes ashore, there shouldn’t be an impact on our seaside tourism either.
“The Lincolnshire Resilience Forum is standing up teams to look at the various issues.”
Councillor Daniel McNally (Con), who represents the coastal Saltfleet and the Cotes ward, said the Solong container ship can be seen drifting near the Donna Nook area.
“It’s looking like it won’t be long before the fire is put out and it’s towed away,” he said.
“There was an element of uncertainty about whether it would sink but that’s disappeared now thankfully.
“At the time, we were worrying about a devastating environmental catastrophe. It would have been terrible for Mablethorpe, Skegness, and all the seals and wildlife.”
A missing crew member is presumed dead after a search and rescue mission was called off, and 36 people have been rescued and taken to shore.
