A port official said he was told the North Sea collision produced "a massive fireball" and the cargo ship's owner said one crew member was missing.

A cargo ship carrying a toxic chemical hit a tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military off England, setting both vessels on fire and sending fuel pouring into the North Sea.

A major rescue operation has taken place after a collision between an oil tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea, off the UK coast, which sparked a huge blaze.