The captain of a cargo ship has been arrested following a collision with an oil tanker in the North Sea.
The Portuguese-flagged Solong and the US-registered tanker Stena Immaculate crashed off the East Yorkshire coast around 10:00 GMT on Monday.
Humberside Police confirmed that a 59-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter amid ongoing searches for a missing crew member from the Solong.
Crowley, the Florida-based joint owner of the stricken oil tanker, reported that the fire onboard had significantly diminished, with no visible flames remaining. The company stated its priorities were the wellbeing of its 23 crew members and minimizing the environmental impact of the crash.
It remains unclear how much of the jet fuel onboard has leaked into the sea. However, an initial review suggests any impact has been limited due to fire exposure and evaporation.
Ernst Russ, the German firm that owns the Solong, confirmed to the BBC that the arrested individual is the ship’s captain. The entire crew is cooperating with the investigation.
A crew member from the Solong remains missing and is presumed dead after search and rescue efforts ended on Monday evening, according to Transport Minister Mike Kane.
Whitehall sources told the BBC that the Solong’s crew includes Russian and Filipino nationals. Meanwhile, all crew members from the Stena Immaculate – all American – are currently in Grimsby and will be repatriated in due course.
Authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the cause of the collision, with Humberside Police working alongside the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is also conducting a parallel assessment to determine the causes of the crash.
HM Coastguard confirmed that 36 people had been safely brought ashore.
Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson stated:
“Humberside Police have taken the lead in investigating any potential criminal offences arising from the collision between the two vessels.
“Following inquiries, we have arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. This follows the conclusion of search operations by HM Coastguard for the missing crew member of the Solong.
“Our thoughts are with the family of the missing crew member, and we have assigned family liaison officers to provide support.”
The Solong‘s owner, Ernst Russ, has pledged support to the missing crew member’s family. The company also clarified that there were no containers on board carrying sodium cyanide, as initially feared. Instead, four empty containers that previously held the hazardous chemical remain on board and will continue to be monitored.
Crowley reported that the Solong struck the Stena Immaculate while it was anchored off the coast of Hull, triggering “multiple explosions” and releasing an unknown quantity of jet fuel into the sea.
The Stena Immaculate was transporting 220,000 barrels of jet fuel in 16 segregated cargo tanks, at least one of which ruptured upon impact.
Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, stated that officials have found no evidence of heavy engine oil leaks or pollution in the water or air.
On Tuesday, Kane told the House of Commons that authorities were operating under the assumption that the missing crew member had not survived.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated that early assessments suggest both vessels will remain afloat. She added that the Solong could be towed away from shore to facilitate salvage operations.
The Stena Immaculate was part of the US government’s tanker security programme, which contracts commercial vessels to transport fuel for military use when required. At the time of the crash, it had been anchored while waiting for a berth at the Port of Killingholme on the River Humber.
