UK police arrest man on suspicion of manslaughter over North Sea ship collision

British police have arrested a man on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence. This follows a collision in the North Sea off the east coast of England between a cargo ship and a tanker transporting aviation fuel for the U.S. military, which resulted in both vessels catching fire. Authorities are currently investigating the cause of the accident, and one crew member is presumed dead.

Humberside Police stated that the 59-year-old man was detained on Tuesday on suspicion of "causing death by gross negligence in connection with the shipping incident." The police have not released the man's name, nor have they filed charges against him.

The incident occurred when the "Solong," a container ship sailing under the Portuguese flag, struck the "MV Stena Immaculate," a tanker sailing under the U.S. flag, laterally, causing a rupture in the tanker's fuel tanks and a leak of aviation fuel into the North Sea. British officials are closely monitoring the potential damage to birds and marine life caused by the incident. The collision triggered explosions and a fire that burned for over 24 hours.

The UK Coastguard stated on Tuesday that "the Solong is still burning, while the fire on the Stena Immaculate has been significantly reduced." The agency also stated that the cargo ship is drifting south, away from the tanker, and that a one-kilometer exclusion zone has been established around both vessels. The British government has stated that it is investigating the cause of the collision, but there is no indication of malicious intent.

British Transport Secretary Mike Kane told lawmakers in the House of Commons that "there are currently no observed signs of pollution from the vessels." However, he cautioned that the situation is rapidly evolving and that the cargo ship is likely to sink. The government stated that air quality readings are normal and that the risk to public health on land is "very low."

The collision triggered a large-scale rescue operation involving lifeboats, coastguard aircraft, and commercial vessels. Of the 37 crew members on board the two ships, all but one arrived safely in the port of Grimsby, about 240 kilometers north of London, without serious injury. One crew member went missing, and the Coastguard called off the search late on Monday.

Kane stated, "Our working assumption is, very sadly, that the sailor has died." The UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch has begun collecting evidence to determine why the Solong, which was en route from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, Netherlands, struck the tanker, which was anchored about 16 kilometers off the British coast.

The investigation will be led by the United States and Portugal, the flag states of the vessels involved. The "Stena Immaculate" belongs to the U.S. government's Tanker Security Program, which consists of a fleet of commercial vessels that can be requisitioned for military fuel transport in times of need. Crowley, the U.S. maritime management company that operates the tanker, stated that the ship was carrying 220,000 barrels of Jet-A1 aviation fuel stored in 16 tanks, at least one of which was breached. The company stated that it is currently unclear how much fuel has leaked into the sea.

Ernst Russ, the shipping company that owns the Solong, stated that, contrary to earlier reports, the ship was not carrying containers of sodium cyanide, which produces a harmful gas when mixed with water. The company stated that four empty containers had previously carried the chemical. In a statement, the company said, "Our team is actively cooperating with all local authorities, and we will cooperate with the cleanup teams to ensure that every effort is made to mitigate further impact on the marine environment."

Greenpeace UK stated that it is too early to assess the extent of any environmental damage caused by the collision, which occurred near a busy fishing ground and a major migratory bird habitat. Environmentalists say that oil and chemicals pose a threat to marine life, including whales and dolphins, as well as birds such as puffins, gannets, and guillemots that live on coastal cliffs. Tom Webb, a senior lecturer in marine ecology and conservation at the University of Sheffield, stated that the wildlife along the coastline is "of huge biological, cultural and economic importance". He said: "In addition to the rich marine life that is present year-round, this time of year is critical for many migratory species."

Alex Lukyanov, a specialist in oil spill modeling at the University of Reading, stated that the environmental impact will depend on a variety of factors, including "the size of the spill, weather conditions, sea currents, water waves, wind direction, and the type of oil involved." He added, "This particular incident is worrying because it appears to involve persistent oil, which breaks down slowly in water. The environmental cost could be very serious."