Tanker collides with 22m French fishing vessel, Cornwall

An investigation has been launched after a 170m long motor tanker collided with a French fishing boat off the coast of Cornwall.

The incident happened around nine nautical miles from Lizard Point, according to Cornwall Live.

“The tanker was on route to the US and had a crew of 20+ people on board,” says a spokesman for the Marine Coastguard Agency (MCA).

“They told us they had been in collision with a 22-metre long fishing vessel. The fishing boat had five crew members on board and sustained only light, superficial damage.

“The tanker sustained a hole around 50cm by 100cm in its ballast tank, though no pollution has been reported.”

The spokesman said the fishing boat was able to continue fishing, but the larger tanker had to come to the shore.

It managed to make it to Falmouth under its own steam, where it remains moored (as of 15 December 2019).