British police are investigating the cause of a collision between a cargo vessel and an anchored US fuel tanker in the North Sea. The captain of the cargo ship involved in the incident is a Russian national, according to the vessel’s owners, as authorities continue their inquiries.
On Monday, the Solong container ship collided with the Stena Immaculate, a tanker carrying jet fuel for the US military. The crash caused an explosion and fires on both vessels. The following day, British police arrested the Solong’s 59-year-old captain on suspicion of gross negligence and manslaughter. The incident occurred approximately 13 miles (20 kilometers) off the coast of Hull, a northeastern British port.
Ernst Russ, the German company that owns the Portuguese-flagged Solong, confirmed on Wednesday that the captain is Russian and that the crew consists of 14 members, including a mix of Russian and Filipino nationals. One crew member is missing and presumed dead. The 23-member crew of the Stena Immaculate were all safely evacuated and are reported to be US citizens.
The collision also resulted in fuel leaking into the sea, raising concerns about environmental damage and its impact on protected bird colonies. However, Virginia McVea, chief executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, stated on Wednesday that there were “no further reports of pollution to the sea” following the “initial incident.” She added that the fires on the Solong had “greatly reduced,” and no visible flames remained on the Stena Immaculate.
Abdul Khalique, Head of the Maritime Centre at Liverpool John Moores University, told AFP that a collision between an anchored ship and another vessel on a “routine” journey is “very rare.” He noted that it remains unclear why the Solong failed to take action to avoid the collision, missing “multiple opportunities” to change course.
A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that there was no indication of “foul play” in the incident. Maritime safety records indicate that the Solong had minor issues during inspections last year, but none were serious enough to detain the vessel. Ernst Russ confirmed in a statement that all deficiencies detected during routine port state control inspections in 2024 were promptly addressed.
While the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch will gather initial information about the crash, the US and Portuguese authorities—the flag states of the vessels—will have overall responsibility for investigating the incident.
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