LONDON: A tanker carrying jet fuel for the US military was hit by a container ship off northeast England on Monday, with the collision igniting a blaze on both vessels, causing multiple explosions and forcing both crews to abandon ship.

The tanker, which can carry tens of thousands of tons of jet fuel, was at anchor when the smaller container ship struck it, rupturing its cargo tank and releasing fuel into the sea, its operator said. Its owner Stena Bulk gave the same details.

Two maritime security sources said there was no indication of any malicious activity or other actors involved in the incident. Local officials said 32 casualties had been met by ambulances but by mid-afternoon only one remained in hospital. But there was still a risk of environmental damage, experts said. The tanker, the Stena Immaculate, operated by US logistics group Crowley, was carrying Jet-A1 fuel when it was struck by the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship Solong while anchored near Hull, Crowley wrote on X.

The tanker is part of a US government programme designed to supply the armed forces with fuel when required. A US military spokesperson told Reuters on Monday it had been on a short-term charter to the US Navy’s Military Sealift Command.

The Solong is carrying 15 containers of sodium cyanide, a toxic chemical used mainly in gold mining, and an unknown quantity of alcohol, according to a casualty report from maritime data provider Lloyd’s List Intelligence.