North Sea collision latest: Arrested captain revealed as Russian as environmental disaster ‘narrowly averted'

Yahoo

12-03-2025

The arrested captain of the Solong container ship is a Russian national, the vessel's owner has said.
Humberside Police said the 59-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision in the North Sea.
In a statement on Wednesday morning, the force said 'a 59-year-old man remains in our custody' and detectives are 'continuing to conduct extensive lines of inquiry'.
The rest of the crew were Russian and Filipino nationals, according to shipping company Ernst Russ.
It comes as campaigning group Greenpeace said the environmental disaster from the tanker crash has been 'narrowly averted'.
Dr Paul Johnston from the Greenpeace Research Laboratories, said: 'We're not quite out of the danger zone yet, but it's starting to look like an environmental disaster may have been narrowly averted.'
He added: 'This incident is a stark reminder of the inherent risks associated with millions of tonnes of oil and oil products floating in tankers on our oceans each and every day.
'Whether it's air pollution, climate change or oil spills, fossil fuels are a risk multiplier wherever they are produced, used and found - the sooner we reduce our dependence on them, the better.'
Solong crashed into the tanker Stena Immaculate off the east coast of Yorkshire on Monday morning.
Solong vessel failed safety checks
Captain of Solong is a Russian National
Environmental disaster narrowly averted, Greenpeace warns
MV Stena was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel
12:01 , Jabed Ahmed
North Sea collision: Fears for thousands of seabirds on the East Yorkshire coast
11:42 , Jabed Ahmed
Commenting on the aftermath of the collision between a tanker and a container ship in the North Sea, Dr Paul Johnston from the Greenpeace Research Laboratories, said: 'We're not quite out of the danger zone yet, but it's starting to look like an environmental disaster may have been narrowly averted.
'When a container ship the length of a football pitch rams into a tanker carrying thousands of tonnes of jet fuel at 16 knots close to sensitive nature sites, the potential for serious harm is huge.
'In terms of minimising any further risks to marine life, the priority should now be to ensure as far as possible that both ships remain afloat, that no further jet fuel leaks from the tanker and that the cargo of the container ship is fully characterised and secured.
'As investigations get underway, we must learn every lesson possible from this incident. Ship collisions, groundings and sinkings are not uncommon. Though an incident of this scale is rare, any such accident has the potential to become an environmental disaster.
'This incident is a stark reminder of the inherent risks associated with millions of tonnes of oil and oil products floating in tankers on our oceans each and every day. Whether it's air pollution, climate change or oil spills, fossil fuels are a risk multiplier wherever they are produced, used and found - the sooner we reduce our dependence on them, the better.'
11:29 , Jabed Ahmed
Hugo Tagholm, executive director of Oceana UK, said: 'This incident is a shocking reminder of the ferocious polluting power of oil.
'We are seeing burning slicks, the threat of heavy fuel oil, and toxic chemicals leaking in or near not one but two marine protected areas (MPAs). Places that should be safe havens for wildlife.'
Mr Tagholm said the Southern North Sea and Holderness MPAs protect declining harbour porpoises and rich seafloor habitats, which are both highly sensitive to toxic spills.
'Oil is always an accident waiting to happen in our ocean and we are all familiar with its devastating impacts – seabirds slick with oil, marine life struggling in tarry tidelines, and a toxic legacy that can impact wildlife and coastal communities for years. More oil will always result in more spills,' he added.
'It is also deeply concerning that the cargo vessel is reportedly carrying sodium cyanide, a severely toxic chemical that can devastate marine wildlife if in high enough concentrations. For now, we don't know how much, if any, reached the water but we have sent an Oceana team to the North East to monitor developments.'
11:20 , Jabed Ahmed
American-based maritime news website gCaptain reported that it was told by a US official in the White House that foul play had not been ruled out.
UK transport minister Mike Kane told MPs on Tuesday something went 'terribly wrong' for the crash to happen but that there was 'no evidence' of foul play.
A 59-year-old Russian national was arrested by Humberside Police on Tuesday on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.
Oil tanker Stena Immaculate was operating as part of the US government's tanker security programme, a group of commercial vessels that can be contracted to carry fuel for the military when needed.
11:09 , Jabed Ahmed
Daniela Schmidt, professor of earth sciences at the University of Bristol, said: 'There are several Marine protected areas near Hull such as Flamborough Head and Holderness.
'These areas are protected due to their rich habitats supporting marine wildlife including fish, bivalves, crabs and birds. Around Flamborough the nesting season will soon start.
'While the first focus is on containing the fire, the pollution connected to the accident has the potential to spread widely depending on the currents and waves with the risk of impacting these protected areas.
'Natural England and North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority will be monitoring the distribution of the oil film closely but at the moment it is to early to determine the impacts.'
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10:49 , Jabed Ahmed
Tom Brook, an ocean conservation specialist at WWF-UK, said: 'Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident. While it's too soon to fully understand the impacts, we know that oil spills can have devastating and long-lasting effects on marine ecosystems and wildlife.
'However, many marine species, including fish and dolphins likely moved away from the scene quite quickly, and the full environmental impact may not be clear until we understand the scale of the event.
'Unlike other oil spills, we may not see birds, other species, or habitats drenched in oil. From the information available, the incident involves jet fuel, which is likely to evaporate off more rapidly than heavier oils. The ability to respond quickly may also help mitigate the broader environmental impact, in an otherwise tragic situation.'
10:38 , Jabed Ahmed
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10:21 , Jabed Ahmed
North Sea collision timeline: How devastating oil tanker crash unfolded
10:09 , Jabed Ahmed
09:57 , Jabed Ahmed
What are the environmental risks after North Sea collision?
09:40 , Jabed Ahmed
A jet fuel spill from the collision between a tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea has had a 'limited' impact, the ship's management firm said.
Crowley, the maritime company managing the Stena Immaculate, said it remains unclear how much Jet A1 fuel was released when it was hit by the Solong, but an initial review shows it had evaporated due to exposure to fires on both vessels.
Crowley said Stena Immaculate was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel in 16 segregated cargo tanks, at least one of which 'was ruptured' when it was struck.
In an update on Tuesday evening, the firm said: 'It remains unclear at this time what volume of fuel may have been released as a result of the incident, but initial review shows impacts have been limited due to exposure to the fire and evaporation of the Jet A1 fuel.'
Dr Alex Lukyanov, researcher on advanced mathematical models of oil spills from the University of Reading, previously said the incident was 'troubling' because it appeared to involve persistent oil, which breaks up slowly in water, while he also suggested the 'environmental toll could be severe'.
09:23 , Jabed Ahmed
My colleague Lucy Leeson reports:
East Yorkshire skipper describes 'panic' after North Sea collision
09:02 , Jabed Ahmed
Port state control (PSC) inspection documents from July last year show Irish officials deemed Solong's 'emergency steering position communications/compass reading' was 'not readable'.
This was among 10 deficiencies highlighted during the inspection of the Portuguese vessel in Dublin.
Other issues include alarms being 'inadequate', survival craft 'not properly maintained', and fire doors 'not as required'.
Another PSC inspection by Scottish authorities in Grangemouth in October 2024 found two deficiencies with Solong.
One of these was related to lifebuoys – designed to be thrown into the water to prevent drowning – being 'not properly marked'.
Solong was not detained after the inspections in Dublin or Grangemouth.
PSC inspections are carried out on ships in ports around the world.
They are aimed at verifying the condition of a vessel and that its equipment meets international regulations.
09:00 , Jabed Ahmed
The captain of the Solong is a Russian national, the vessel's owners have said.
The rest of the crew were Russian and Filipino nationals, according to shipping company Ernst Russ.
Ernst Russ, which owns Solong, confirmed the vessel's captain had been arrested by Humberside Police on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter after a crew member was presumed dead when a search-and-rescue operation was ended on Monday evening.
The 59-year-old man remains in custody and the force has launched a criminal investigation into the cause of the crash.
08:30 , Stuti Mishra
Bempton Cliffs, near Bridlington in East Yorkshire, sees around 500,000 seabirds gather there between March and August to breed on the towering white cliffs that overlook the North Sea.
visited the wildlife site, home to puffins, gannets, kittiwakes and guillemots on Tuesday (11 March), just a day after the collision.
Watch:
North Sea collision: Fears for thousands of seabirds on the East Yorkshire coast
07:30 , Stuti Mishra
Anchored 13 miles from the coast, the US-flagged Stenna Immaculate was set for a routine stop at the Humber Estuary port in East Yorkshire.
But a 'massive' ship 'came out of the blue' on Monday morning and smashed into the 183-metre oil tanker, causing an instant fireball which was still burning 24 hours later.
The Portuguese-flagged cargo ship Solong, which was sailing to Rotterdam, collided with the tanker laden with 35 million litres of US military jet fuel.
Here's the full timeline:
North Sea collision timeline: How devastating oil tanker crash unfolded
07:30 , Stuti Mishra
HM Coastguard said yesterday evening that some flames were still visible on the Solong's main deck and firefighting efforts are focusing on this area.
It said the Stena Immaculate remains at anchor with safety tug boats and has a "greatly reduced" fire with no visible flames.
Four empty containers on board that "previously contained the hazardous chemical" will "continue to be monitored", said shipping firm Ernst Russ, which owns the Solong.
06:38 , Stuti Mishra
The collision took place on the Humber Estuary in East Yorkshire, with the oil tanker at anchor.
Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the Port of Grimsby East, said he had been told there was 'a massive fireball' following the crash.
06:30 , Stuti Mishra
The Solong container ship is now expected to stay afloat, transport secretary Heidi Alexander has said.
Earlier transport minister Mike Kane said the vessel was expected to sink.
Ms Alexander said she was reassured by indications from the ship's owners that the sodium cyanide containers on board were empty, with salvors working to confirm this.
"I was also pleased to have been informed that early indications suggest that both vessels are now expected to stay afloat and that the Solong can be towed away from the shore, and salvage operations can get under way," she said.
05:49 , Stuti Mishra
In this audio, which was shared on social media, you can hear the Coastguard's emergency call after an oil tanker and cargo ship collided in the North Sea off the East Yorkshire coast.
05:15 , Stuti Mishra
04:45 , Stuti Mishra
It is dubbed the 'Lobster Capital of Europe', with around 3,000 tonnes of the crustaceans landing there every year.
Skipper owner Neil Robson knows just how much the East Yorkshire seaside town of Bridlington relies on its shellfish trade having fished out of the area all his life and his family-business, Genesis Fishing Ltd, now catching crab and lobster for the UK and international markets.
The 63-year-old was on board his boat Genesis on Monday when a message came over the radio of a major collision involving a cargo ship and oil tanker in the North Sea.
Read more:
East Yorkshire skipper describes 'panic' after North Sea collision
04:15 , Stuti Mishra
Tom Brook, an ocean conservation specialist at WWF-UK, said: 'Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident. While it's too soon to fully understand the impacts, we know that oil spills can have devastating and long-lasting effects on marine ecosystems and wildlife.
'However, many marine species, including fish and dolphins likely moved away from the scene quite quickly, and the full environmental impact may not be clear until we understand the scale of the event.
'Unlike other oil spills, we may not see birds, other species, or habitats drenched in oil. From the information available, the incident involves jet fuel, which is likely to evaporate off more rapidly than heavier oils. The ability to respond quickly may also help mitigate the broader environmental impact, in an otherwise tragic situation.'
03:42 , Stuti Mishra
The Humber ports of Grimsby, Immingham, Hull and Goole re-opened yesterday evening, according to the their owner Associated British Ports (ABP).
Restrictions remain in place while the ABP "continues to support ongoing emergency operations," it said.
03:11 , Stuti Mishra
The full extent of a fuel leak following the North Sea tanker collision remains uncertain but Crowley, the company managing the Stena Immaculate oil tanker, says the initial impact appears to be minimal.
"It remains unclear at this time what volume of fuel may have been released as a result of the incident, but initial review shows impacts have been limited due to exposure to the fire and evaporation of the Jet A1 fuel," the company said.
02:00 , Athena Stavrou
The captain of a cargo vessel has been arrested after a collision with an oil tanker off the East Yorkshire coast, as experts warn the coming hours will be 'critical' in determining environmental impact of the crash.
Owners of the Solong container ship confirmed its captain had been arrested, hours after Humberside Police said it had arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter following the collision between the Portuguese vessel and US tanker Stena Immaculate.
One crew member from the Solong is still missing and presumed dead, after a search and rescue operation was ended on Monday evening.
Read the full story:
Cargo ship captain arrested after oil tanker collision in North Sea