Fears are mounting of a potential environmental disaster off the coast of Britain after a cargo ship smashed into an oil tanker transporting jet fuel for the US military. The crash ignited a huge fire,

An environmental group in the U.K. says the North Sea tanker collision could become a "disaster in really important protected areas."

Academics have raised fears over the ecological impact the dramatic crash involving an oil tanker and cargo vessel could have on the Norfolk coastline. The two ships – including one carrying jet fuel - went up in flames in the North Sea off the coast of East Yorkshire on Monday.