A 59-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter following a collision between a cargo ship and an oil tanker in the North Sea off the coast of eastern England, Politico reports.
The US-flagged chemical tanker Stena Immaculate, carrying approximately 35 million litres of aviation fuel for the US Navy’s Military Sealift Command, collided with the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship Solong. The Solong, owned by German company Ernst Russ AG, had previously transported containers of sodium cyanide, though the company confirmed these containers were empty at the time of the collision.
The collision caused both vessels to catch fire, prompting a large-scale rescue operation. One crew member from the Solong remains missing and is presumed dead, while all 23 crew members aboard the Stena Immaculate and the remaining 13 from the Solong have been accounted for.
Humberside Police announced the arrest of a 59-year-old man on Tuesday, following extensive inquiries into the incident. Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson stated that the arrest was made on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter and emphasised that authorities are working to understand the full circumstances of the collision.
Maritime Minister Mike Kane updated the House of Commons, confirming that the missing sailor is presumed deceased. He stressed that there is no evidence of foul play, describing the incident as a tragic accident.
International co-operation
The collision raised concerns about potential environmental damage, particularly due to the toxic nature of the aviation fuel carried by the Stena Immaculate. The Marine and Coastguard Agency has deployed equipment to contain and disperse any spills, though no significant pollution has been reported so far.
As the flag states for the vessels involved, US and Portuguese authorities are leading the investigation, with assistance from British officials. The US Coast Guard has confirmed that investigators from both the Coast Guard and the National Transportation Safety Board are being deployed to the UK to assist in the probe.
Matthew Pennycook, a fellow government minister, emphasised the importance of international co-operation, stating that the three countries are committed to determining the cause of the incident and preventing future accidents.
As authorities work to piece together the events leading to the collision, the focus will remain on supporting the affected crew members and their families, as well as minimising environmental damage.
