The captain of a cargo ship involved in a collision with a U.S. oil tanker has been arrested. The incident occurred in the North Sea, and the captain, a 59-year-old man, is being held on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, according to Humberside Police in Yorkshire.
The cargo ship, named Solong, was reported to be on fire and drifting away from the tanker, Stena Immaculate, following the crash on Monday. Video footage shows the damaged vessel surrounded by tugboats as it continues to burn.
Police have launched a criminal investigation into the accident, working alongside the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. In their announcement, they stated that the arrested man remains in custody while inquiries are ongoing. Authorities are interviewing everyone involved to piece together what happened.
This news comes after search operations concluded for a missing crew member from the Solong. The remaining 36 crew members from both vessels were safely brought to the Port of Grimsby without serious injuries.
The police expressed their condolences to the family of the missing crew member and have assigned Family Liaison Officers to provide support.
An exclusion zone has been established around both ships as a precaution. Initially, there were concerns that the Solong was carrying sodium cyanide. However, the ship’s owners clarified that it was not carrying the toxic substance but did have empty containers that previously held it.
UK Transport Minister Mike Kane stated that there are currently no signs of pollution from the vessels, and air quality readings are normal. The risk to public health onshore has been assessed as very low. Authorities believe both ships are likely to remain afloat.