Russian Captain Arrested After Ship Collision

A Russian captain has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter after his cargo ship, the Solong, collided with a US-flagged tanker, the Stena Immaculate, off the English coast. The incident occurred while the Stena Immaculate was at anchor in the North Sea, carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel for the US military.

The Solong, a Portuguese-flagged vessel, careered into the Stena Immaculate, setting fire to both vessels and prompting emergency rescue efforts by the British coastguard. A missing crew member from the Solong is presumed dead, while the other 13 crew members were rescued, along with the full 23-person crew of the Stena Immaculate.

The captain of the Solong, a 59-year-old Russian national, was arrested by British police, who have opened a criminal investigation into the crash. The rest of the crew are a mix of Russians and Filipinos, according to Ernst Russ, the owner of the Solong.

Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the nearby Port of Grimsby East, expressed disbelief at the crash, citing the sophistication of modern shipping technology. "It seems a mystery, really, because all the vessels now have very highly sophisticated technical equipment to plot courses and to look at any obstacles or anything they've got to avoid," Boyers said.

Environmental concerns have been raised, with Oceanu UK warning of "huge" potential damage if jet fuel spills into the sea. The fuel "can cause a huge amount of damage to wildlife as well as fish populations," the group said. Initial reports suggested that the Solong was carrying large amounts of sodium cyanide, but Ernst Russ later denied the claims, stating that the ship was carrying four empty containers that had previously contained the hazardous chemical.

The Stena Immaculate, managed by the United States logistics firm Crowley, is part of a fleet of 10 tankers involved in a US government program to supply its military with fuel. The Department of Defense's "Tanker Security Program" ensures a commercial fleet can readily transport liquid fuel supplies in times of need.