Germany Captain arrested after shipwreck in the North Sea
Two huge, partly burnt-out shipwrecks lie off the English North Sea coast after their momentous collision - the authorities are investigating the cause of the accident. Police arrested a 59-year-old man on Tuesday evening on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter. The German shipping company Ernst Russ confirmed to the BBC that it was the captain of the container ship "Solong". The man is being investigated on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the collision, Humberside Police said.
12.03.2025, 08:59
SDA
The "Solong" collided with the oil tanker "Stena Immaculate" on Monday morning. According to the British news agency PA, the US shipping company Crowley reported that any leakage of aircraft fuel from the collision would have "limited" consequences. It is still unclear how much fuel may have leaked into the sea during the collision, but an initial check showed that it had evaporated due to the fires on both ships, the company said, according to PA.
According to Crowley, 220,000 barrels (almost 35 million liters) of kerosene were on board the tanker. The fuel was spread across 16 tanks, at least one of which was damaged in the collision. A spokesman for the British Coastguard said that the threat posed by the dangerous cargo had now been significantly reduced. However, preparations are still being made for possible pollution.
It remains to be seen why the "Solong" and the oil tanker collided on Monday morning. According to Crowley, the US-flagged tanker was rammed by the Portuguese-flagged "Solong" while it was at anchor.
36 crew members safe - one seaman presumed dead
A total of 36 crew members from both ships were brought safely ashore and one person received medical treatment. One seaman was missing and the search was suspended on Monday evening. The British Under-Secretary of State Mike Kane confirmed that the crew member of the "Solong" was presumed dead.
The Ministry of Transport announced that both ships are not expected to sink according to preliminary estimates. The freighter "Solong" could be moored and towed away from the coast, said Minister Heidi Alexander. Salvage work could be started. Although the freighter was still on fire, a tow rope had been attached.
It had been feared that the ship could leak diesel if it sank or ran aground. This risk has now been reduced, according to a statement from the Ministry of Transport. The Hamburg-based shipping company Ernst Russ had previously denied reports that it had loaded several containers with toxic sodium cyanide. The containers had been empty.
