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Hull, England – A collision between a container ship and an anchored oil tanker in the North Sea has resulted in the arrest of the container ship’s captain, a criminal investigation, and the tragic loss of one crew member.
The Portuguese container ship Solong struck the American oil tanker Stena Immaculate near Hull on Monday, igniting fires on both vessels. All but one of the combined 36 crew members were safely rescued. A search for the missing Solong crew member was called off Monday night, and Transport Minister Mike Kane confirmed the individual is presumed dead.
Humberside police arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. While authorities have not officially released the suspect’s identity, ship management company Ernst Russ confirmed the arrested individual is the Solong‘s captain. Ernst Russ stated they are fully cooperating with the investigation.
Aerial footage suggests the fires, which raged for some time after the collision, are now mostly extinguished. However, Port of Grimsby Chief Executive Martyn Boyers expressed concern over the incident, questioning how such a collision could occur given modern ship technology.
The Stena Immaculate was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel, and at least one cargo tank ruptured, leading to explosions. Both vessels sustained significant damage and were abandoned by their crews before being separated by authorities.
A safety zone remains in place around the ships.
While no pollution has been reported, authorities are actively monitoring the situation. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is investigating the collision’s cause, and Transport Minister Kane awaits their official findings.