An oil tanker and a cargo vessel have collided off England’s coast, authorities say

An oil tanker and a cargo ship have collided off the coast of eastern England and a rescue operation is underway, Britain’s coast guard said Monday.

Several lifeboats and a coast guard rescue helicopter were dispatched to the scene in the North Sea, along with a coast guard plane and nearby vessels with fire-fighting capability.

The BBC reported that the oil tanker is on fire.   

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the alarm was raised at 9:48 a.m. GMT. The site of the collision is off the coast of Hull, about 250 kilometres north of London.

More to come.