‘Out of the blue’: search for answers goes on after North Sea tanker collision

The Stena Immaculate tanker is at anchor off the Yorkshire coast after a collision that ignited its 220,000 barrels of jet fuel. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/AP

In the North Sea, about 12 miles off the coast of East Yorkshire, the smouldering wreck of a 183-metre tanker is being kept in place by tugboats.

The central part of the vessel has been caved in, with water gushing from a hole in its side. Sections are covered in black soot, evidence of the raging blaze that engulfed the ship when it was struck by a smaller cargo ship on Monday morning, with the flames from multiple explosions only just dying down on Tuesday afternoon.