Quotes
There are crucial questions that remain unanswered in the wake of this tragedy, and these must be addressed through a full and transparent internationally coordinated investigations,
ITF general secretary Stephen Cotton said in a statement
Out of respect for the investigation and all involved we will not comment further at this time."
It added
Any pollution incident can have a devastating impact on our wildlife and this is a vital time for many migratory birds as they return to our shores for the breeding season such as puffins, terns and gannets as well as marine life including seals, dolphins, fish and harbour porpoise."
She saidThe oil tanker was seemingly under a military mission and might have been found, unexpectedly, anchored in an area that is not common for ships to moor. The tanker is now visible on vesselfinder.com [a ship tracking website], but it may have also been radar silent at the time of the collision for security reasons. Only a thorough investigation will reach a final conclusion on what happened.”
Alves said
Wading birds and waterfowl gather in large numbers as they move between wintering and breeding grounds, while soon Yorkshire’s iconic seabirds will be coming inshore to breed at sites like the world famous Brampton cliffs,
Webb saidAquatic organisms that come in direct contact with naturally dispersed and entrained jet fuel in the water column may be killed.”
said the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationWhether there was a foul play I think is speculation. There is no evidence to suggest that at the moment.”
The UKIt can be assumed that the watchkeepers on MV Solong were not performing their duty to ‘maintain a proper lookout by all available means’ as required by international regulations for preventing collisions at sea.”
Dr Abdul Khalique, head of the Maritime Centre at Liverpool John Moores University, said
A tow line has now successfully been put in place and a tug is holding Solong offshore in a safer position. There are still some flames visible on the main deck of the Solong and firefighting is focusing on this area. A salvage plan is being developed with the appointed salvors on scene.”
Mr Craig saidWe are not equipped with firefighting equipment for this type of incident,
he saidEnvironmentally, jet fuel evaporates easily and combusts quickly. Impacts may be felt mostly near the accident site, especially given today's windy conditions and dynamic wave energy which favour dispersion,
prof Alves saidForecasting the environmental of oil spills is extremely complex. Oil spills like the one in the North Sea are affected by multiple factors. The size of the spill, weather conditions, sea currents, water waves, wind patterns, and the type of oil involved all play crucial roles in determining environmental outcomes,
Dr Alex Lukyanov from the University of Reading saidFrom an aquatic environment perspective, jet fuel evaporates faster and is less concerning than crude oil. But immediate acute impacts on marine organisms will still be severe,
Dr Mark Hartl, marine ecotoxicologist at Heriot-Watt University, saidAround Flamborough the nesting season will soon start,
Dr Daniela Schmidt, professor of earth sciences at University of Bristol, saidThis particular incident is troubling because it appears to involve persistent oil, which breaks up slowly in water,
Dr Alex Lukyanov, researcher at the University of Reading, saidIt was either get into your life jacket or get incinerated.
Recalling the terrifying maritime crash and aftermath, a survivor of the Stena Immaculate tanker said
I did have time to think
Asked about his actions immediately after the tanker carrying a cargo of jet fuel burst into flames, he saidI am reassured to hear indications from the ship's owners which suggest the sodium cyanide containers were empty, and that efforts to confirm this by the salvors are underway
She saidThere are four empty containers that have previously contained the hazardous chemical and these containers will continue to be monitored,
Ernst Russ said in a statement