An oil tanker and a cargo ship collided near Hull, causing fires and injuring 32 people. Rescue efforts are ongoing.

An oil tanker and a cargo ship collided off the coast of the United Kingdom on Monday, resulting in a large fire on both vessels.

The collision took place in the North Sea near the city of Hull, with the alarm first being raised at 9:48 a.m. (UTC/GMT).

Authorities reported that at least 32 people sustained injuries in the incident. The injured individuals were brought ashore to receive medical treatment.

Emergency response efforts were swiftly deployed, involving lifeboats, firefighting vessels, a helicopter, and a fixed-wing aircraft.

"There were reports that a number of people had abandoned the vessels following a collision and there were fires on both ships," the Royal National Lifeboat Institution stated.

According to multiple sources, the oil tanker involved in the collision was believed to be the US-flagged chemical and oil products carrier MV Stena Immaculate.

At the time of the incident, the vessel was anchored, as confirmed by the ship-tracking website VesselFinder.

Swedish company Stena Bulk, which owns the tanker, verified that the ship was operated by US-based maritime firm Crowley. Stena Bulk also confirmed that all crew members aboard the tanker had been accounted for.

The second vessel involved in the collision was identified as the Portugal-flagged container ship Solong. It was en route from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, Netherlands, at the time of the incident.

The container ship is owned by the German shipping company Reederei Koepping.

The British Maritime and Coastguard Agency has stated that it is "currently coordinating the emergency response to reports of a collision between a tanker and a cargo vessel off the coast of East Yorkshire."

A spokesperson for the agency added, "The incident remains ongoing, and an assessment of the likely counter-pollution response required is being enacted."

Additionally, the United Nations’ shipping agency, the International Maritime Organization, acknowledged that it was aware of the situation and monitoring developments closely.