More than 30 casualties have been brought ashore after a cargo vessel collided with an oil tanker in the North Sea.

Some crew members are yet to be accounted for with both vessels ablaze off the coast of east Yorkshire.

A Coastguard helicopter and other aircraft were deployed alongside lifeboats from Skegness, Bridlington, Maplethorpe and Cleethorpes to attend the scene.

The RNLI said a number of people had “abandoned ship” with both now ablaze and the incident ongoing.

Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said 32 casualties had been brought ashore aboard a harbour pilot vessel.

Mr Boyers said he had been told there was “a massive fireball”, adding: “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.”

The casualties’ conditions remain unclear.