UK authorities have launched a criminal investigation into a catastrophic collision between two ships in the North Sea, arresting a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. The incident, which set both vessels ablaze, has left one sailor missing and presumed dead.
Collision sparks environmental concerns
The disaster unfolded on Monday when the Portugal-registered cargo ship Solong broadsided the US-flagged tanker MV Stena Immaculate, which was carrying jet fuel for the US military. The impact ruptured a fuel tank, causing explosions and a fire that raged for over 24 hours. Footage taken from a helicopter on Tuesday showed the tanker with a massive gash on its port side, while the Solong remained engulfed in flames.
Authorities said the cargo ship was drifting south, and a 1-kilometer exclusion zone was in place. Transport Minister Mike Kane told Parliament that while no pollution had been detected, the situation remained fluid. He warned that the Solong was likely to sink.
Rescue and investigation efforts
A major rescue operation involving lifeboats, coast guard aircraft, and commercial vessels saved 36 crew members. However, one sailor remains unaccounted for. The search was called off Monday night, with officials assuming the missing crew member to be deceased.
The U.K.’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch has begun gathering evidence to determine why the Solong, en route from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, Netherlands, struck the stationary tanker anchored 10 miles off the English coast. The US and Portugal are also investigating, given the ships’ national registrations.
Environmental fears mount
The Stena Immaculate, part of the US government’s Tanker Security Program, was carrying 220,000 barrels of Jet-A1 fuel. The vessel’s operator, US-based Crowley Maritime, confirmed at least one tank had been breached but was uncertain how much fuel had leaked into the sea.
Earlier fears that the Solong was carrying hazardous sodium cyanide were dismissed by its owner, Ernst Russ, who clarified that the cargo ship only had empty containers that had previously contained the chemical.
Greenpeace UK and marine experts warned of potential environmental consequences, particularly for marine life and seabird colonies along the coast. The impact of the spill depends on weather, currents, and the type of fuel involved, with experts cautioning that Jet-A1 fuel could cause lasting damage to marine ecosystems.
With criminal proceedings underway and environmental assessments ongoing, the full scale of the disaster remains uncertain.
