Container ship damaged in crash with North Sea oil tanker arrives in Scotland
A container ship involved in a crash with a US oil tanker in the North Sea has been towed to Aberdeen.
Portuguese vessel Solong was towed to Scotland for "safe berthing" after it crashed into the anchored tanker Stena Immaculate off the East Yorkshire coast on 10 March.
Rescuers saved 36 crew members off both ships. One sailor - named as Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38 - remains missing and is presumed dead.
The Solong's Russian captain, Vladimir Motin, 59, has appeared at the Old Bailey charged with gross negligence manslaughter and is due to stand trial in January 2026.
The Solong was still burning a week after it collided with the fuel tanker, whose crew were praised as "heroic" for triggering a crucial firefighting system before abandoning ship.
Only one of the Stena Immaculate's cargo tanks containing jet fuel was damaged, according to Crowley, the maritime company managing the ship.
The Solong was accompanied by a vessel with counter-pollution measures as it arrived at the Port of Aberdeen at around 7am on Friday.
A spokesperson for Ernt Russ, the company that owns Solong, said the fire-stricken ship will be "fully assessed by specialist marine assessors and insurers" in Aberdeen.
Chief coastguard Paddy O'Callaghan said: "Salvage of the Solong has progressed to enable its relocation to the Port of Aberdeen for safe berthing.
"The Stena Immaculate remains in a stable condition with salvage ongoing."
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Following the collision, thousands of plastic pellets used in plastics production, known as nurdles, were released from ruptured containers on the Solong and began washing up on beaches on the Norfolk coast.
According to conservationists, the nurdles are not toxic but can harm animals if ingested.
King's Lynn and West Norfolk Council said it had begun removing the nurdles, focusing initially on the stretch of beaches between Holme-next-the-Sea and Old Hunstanton.
Mr O'Callaghan added: "HM Coastguard continues to support local authorities which are leading the onshore response to pollution, including plastic nurdles, in Norfolk and Lincolnshire.
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Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Air India Flight 171 pilots named as desperate final message sent before crash
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North Wales Live
3 hours ago
- North Wales Live
Air India Flight 171 pilots named as desperate final message sent before crash
The pilots of the ill-fated Air India Flight 171 have been identified as Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kundar. The aircraft, carrying over 240 passengers, tragically crashed shortly after departing from Ahmedabad Airport in western India, ploughing into a dining hall where medical students were having lunch. The flight was en route to Gatwick Airport in London, with an expected arrival time of 6.25pm yesterday evening. Air India has confirmed that among those onboard were 53 British nationals, 169 Indian nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national. Initial reports from the police suggested there were no survivors; however, it has since emerged that British passenger Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, 40, who occupied seat 11A on the UK-bound flight, miraculously survived the horrific incident. In the meantime, recovery efforts yesterday had yielded over 200 bodies from the wreckage so far, reports the Mirror. Shortly before the tragedy unfolded, the plane attempted to send a 'Mayday' message, signalling that an emergency situation was underway. This would be the final communication with the ground before the aircraft erupted into a fireball in the residential area of Meghani Nagar, where plumes of black smoke filled the sky. Questions have now been raised as to how such a catastrophe could have occurred, with this marking the first time a Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been involved in a major crash since it went into service in 2009, according to the Aviation Safety Network database. As one of Air India's most experienced Boeing 787 commanders, Captain Sumeet Sabharwal had clocked up more than 8,200 flight hours over the course of his career and had vast experience in the field of long-haul flying. He is remembered by those who knew him as a "disciplined and precise" individual who prioritised safety protocol and remained calm under pressure, One India reports. Captain Sabharwal was assisted in the cockpit by First Officer Clive Kundar, a pilot with 1,100 hours of flight experience behind him. Like Captain Sabharwal, First Officer Kundar had been highly trained when it came to handling long-haul global operations and emergencies. Meanwhile, Air India's chairman, N Chandrasekaran, previously issued the following statement: "With profound sorrow, I confirm that Air India Flight 171 operating from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of all those affected by this devastating event. "At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted. "Further updates will be shared as we receive more verified information. An emergency centre has been activated and support team have been set up for families seeking information." Tata Sons, the company which owns Air India, has stated that it will offer approximately £86,000 to the families of each individual who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash. Those with concerns about friends or family, as well as anyone who requires assistance in India following the crash, have been advised to contact the Foreign Office. A full statement on the website reads as follows: "We are aware of a plane crash in Ahmedabad. The UK is working with local authorities in India to urgently establish the facts and provide support to those involved. +91 (11) 2419 2100 (in India)
Wales Online
4 hours ago
- Wales Online
Passenger on doomed Air India flight's earlier journey said nothing was working
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Content cannot be displayed without consent According to Vatsa's account, the air conditioning system was not working, forcing numerous passengers to improvise by using in-flight magazines as makeshift fans, reports the Mirror. The passenger then turned the camera on himself, visibly sweating, before highlighting another issue: "As usual, your TV screens are also not working." Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter here Article continues below He continued his critique, pointing out that "nothing is working, not even the light is working" and posed a question to Air India: "Is this what you are providing?". Flight Radar data revealed that the flight touched down in Ahmedabad at 11:16am local time. The same Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner subsequently took off from Ahmedabad at 1:38 pm local time (9:08 am BST), bound for London Gatwick Airport. Tragically, mere minutes after lifting off, the plane met with disaster, plummeting into a residential area. 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An additional contact number +91 8062779200 was also made available for international callers. The carrier stated it was providing "its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident". Several hours following the accident, Campbell Wilson, CEO of Air India, issued a video statement on social media platforms. He conveyed the airline's "deep sorrow" regarding the tragic event and emphasised that their focus would be "entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families, and loved ones". Wilson acknowledged the presence of "many questions" surrounding the incident but stated he would "not be able to answer all of them". He added: "We are actively working with the authorities on all emergency response efforts." In a communication to the Mirror, Air India stated: "We would like to inform you that Air India is closely coordinating with all relevant authorities, and any verified updates or official statements will be shared through our official communication channels." Article continues below It further stated: "We remain committed to transparency and will continue to share updates as appropriate."
