Marine traffic maps show the moment the US-flagged tanker MV Stena Immaculate collided with  Portugese-flagged ship MV Solong. on Monday. The collision occurred near the Humber Estuary, with several crew members still unaccounted for and dozens of deaths have been confirmed.

A HM Coastguard spokesperson said: “HM Coastguard is currently co-ordinating the emergency response to reports of a collision between a tanker and cargo vessel off the coast of East Yorkshire. “The alarm was raised at 9.48am. “A Coastguard Rescue Helicopter from Humberside was called, alongside lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Maplethorpe and Cleethorpes, an HM Coastguard fixed wing aircraft, and nearby vessels with fire-fighting capability. The incident remains ongoing.”

Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said witnesses saw “a massive fireball.”

He added: “It’s too far out for us to see – about 10 miles – but we have seen the vessels bringing them in.

“They must have sent a mayday out – luckily there was a crew transfer vessel out there already.

“Since then there has been a flotilla of ambulances to pick up anyone they can find.”