Newly released aerial footage shows devastating impact of explosion on oil tanker off UK coast

Shocking aerial footage of the Stena Immaculate has shown the devastating impact of the explosion which ravaged the huge oil tanker.

The vessel had departed from Agioi Theodoroi in Greece and was heading for the port of Killingholme in the UK when disaster struck yesterday (10 March).

The Portuguese container ship Solong collided with the oil tanker while it was anchored off the British coast, sparking a huge fireball in the North Sea.

Both ships - which are said to have each been carrying flammable materials - were ravaged by flames in wake of the incident on Monday morning.

Maritime firm Crowley, which manages the oil tanker Stena Immaculate, said that the explosion was caused by an 'allision' which ruptured a cargo tank containing jet fuel which resulted in a fire.

Take a look at the damage which has been done to the Stena Immaculate here:

The US-flagged ship, which had 23 people onboard who are all accounted for, took quite the hit when the Solong veered into it just off the coast of the UK, close to the east of Hull in East Yorkshire.

The tanker was carrying cargo and fuel for the US Department of Defense, according to the BBC.

Meanwhile, the Solong was carrying 15 containers of sodium cyanide, a report from maritime data provider Lloyd’s List Intelligence suggests.

One member of the 14-strong crew is still missing, but the search has now been called off by the coastguard.

The Stena Immaculate remains afloat more than 24 hours after the incident, however, new aerial footage shows how it now has a gaping hole in it's side.

The tanker, which spans 183 metres in length, was built in 2017.

The Stena Immaculate has a huge chunk missing out of it (BBC News)

A rescuer earlier described the 'scary' scenes he witnessed in the North Sea yesterday as he approached the flaming ships.

The trawlerman, who was onboard one of the dozens of small boats which rushed to the scene, explained he was 'two miles away' when the mayday call came in.

The bloke, who wished to remain anonymous, has told of his horror as he approached the fireball.

"When we approached, it was very scary," he told The Sun. "We could see the plumes of smoke. There was a really strong smell of fuel burning.

"We were told there was a person missing at sea and to begin a search. Crew began abandoning both ships around 30 minutes later. It's a miracle they didn’t all die. The fog was pretty horrendous."

The oil tanker was anchored off the British coast when it was struck by the Solong (BBC News)

The coastguard has confirmed 36 people have been brought ashore, while one was taken to hospital.

The UK government will probably have to foot the bill for the clean-up in the next few weeks, due to the terms of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

However, it is likely that this will later be recovered from the vessel owners and their insurers.

Climate solicitor ​Harj Narulla, of Doughty Street Chambers, told The Independent: "The Government may in due course seek to recover their cleanup costs from the owners and insurers of both vessels.

"If other parties suffer loss - such as local fishing companies, local government or tourism operators - they could also commence claims against the vessel owners and insurers."

Some environmental groups have suggested it could cost around £15million.