LONDON — The captain of a cargo vessel involved in a collision with a U.S. tanker vessel has been identified as a Russian citizen and is currently in the custody of U.K. police, according to the vessel’s ownership. The captain, who is 59 years old and has not been publicly named, was apprehended by police in northeast England on Tuesday. He is under suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence related to the collision but has yet to be formally charged.
The shipping firm, Ernst Russ, which operates the Portugal-registered cargo ship Solong, revealed that the ship’s crew consists of both Russian and Filipino nationals. Authorities in the U.K. have indicated that they do not suspect any form of foul play in connection to the incident.
According to port inspection records, the Solong previously encountered issues with steering-related safety while docked in Dublin, Ireland, last July. Inspectors noted problems with the vessel’s “emergency steering position communications/compass reading,” deeming it unreadable. Furthermore, a total of 10 deficiencies were identified, including ineffective alarms, improperly maintained survival craft, and fire doors that did not meet required standards. Despite an inspection in Scotland in October revealing two further issues, the ship was not detained following these inspections.
The collision occurred on Monday between the Solong and the MV Stena Immaculate, a U.S. military-consigned tanker that was transporting jet fuel in the North Sea off the eastern coast of England. Both vessels caught fire as a result of the incident. Tragically, one sailor from the Solong is missing and is presumed dead, while the remaining 36 crew members from both ships were safely evacuated ashore without any major injuries reported.
The Solong, still adrift and aflame by Wednesday, is expected to remain afloat according to officials. Meanwhile, the Stena Immaculate, a 183-meter (596-foot) tanker, is part of a contingency fleet for the U.S. government’s Tanker Security Program, allowing commercial tankers to be called upon for military fuel transport operations when required.
The accident led to a significant discharge of jet fuel into the sea, raising alarms about the potential for severe environmental impact. Environmentalists have expressed concern over the threat posed by the oil and chemicals to marine life such as whales and dolphins, as well as to bird species like puffins, gannets, and guillemots that nest on local coastal cliffs.
