The fire on an oil tanker involved in the crash in the North Sea has finally gone out, several days after it collided with a container ship near the Humber Estuary.
Crowley, the maritime company managing the Stena Immaculate, said late on Wednesday that there were “no visible signs of smoke or flame”.
Shipping company Ernst Russ, which owns the Solong cargo ship, said it had separated from the Stena Immaculate and drifted south, but remains alight.
While “fire activity onboard the vessel has diminished since yesterday,” the company said it continues to “emit smoke with occasional reports of flames.”
Earlier, the company announced that the arrested captain of Solong is a Russian national.
Humberside Police said the 59-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision in the North Sea.
In a statement on Wednesday morning, the force said “a 59-year-old man remains in our custody” and detectives are “continuing to conduct extensive lines of inquiry”.
‘Small pockets’ of fire continue to burn on Solong cargo ship
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said “small pockets of fire” continued to burn on board the Solong, although the main blaze has been tackled.
One sailor from the container ship is missing and presumed dead.
Grainy thermal camera footage showed the container ship speeding towards the stationary oil tanker before smashing into it, sending a massive fireball into the air.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said it will lead the safety investigation into the incident.
A team of inspectors was immediately deployed, and inquiries have focused on gathering witness accounts and obtaining digital data, the MAIB said.
Shweta Sharma13 March 2025 05:05
Fire out on oil tanker – but ‘small pockets’ still burning on Solong cargo ship
A fire on an oil tanker involved in a crash in the North Sea has gone out, several days after the collision.
Container ship Solong struck the Stena Immaculate off the east coast of Yorkshire on Monday morning.
Crowley, the maritime company managing the Stena Immaculate, said there were “no visible signs of smoke or flame”.
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said on Wednesday that “small pockets of fire” continued to burn onboard the Solong.
Adam Withnall13 March 2025 04:36
WATCH: New footage shows heavy fog at moment of North Sea collision
Bryony Gooch13 March 2025 02:01
Fears for hundreds of thousands of seabirds on the East Yorkshire coast after North Sea collision
North Sea collision: Fears for thousands of seabirds on the East Yorkshire coast
There are fears for hundreds of thousands of seabirds on the East Yorkshire coast following an explosive collision between an oil tanker and a cargo ship. Bempton Cliffs, near Bridlington in East Yorkshire, sees around 500,000 seabirds gather there between March and August to breed on the towering white cliffs that overlook the North Sea. The Independent visited the wildlife site, home to puffins, gannets, kittiwakes and guillemots on Tuesday (11 March), just a day after the collision. Visitor experience manager Danielle Jackson said: “We are highly concerned about the impact the collision will have on our seabird population here and what this could mean for their futures. “We don’t know exactly how long it’s going to take for the birds and the wildlife and the nature to recover from this kind of incident.”
Bryony Gooch13 March 2025 01:06
WWF warn of ‘devastating’ effect on marine ecosystems and wildlife
Tom Brook, an ocean conservation specialist at WWF-UK, said: “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this incident. While it’s too soon to fully understand the impacts, we know that oil spills can have devastating and long-lasting effects on marine ecosystems and wildlife.
“However, many marine species, including fish and dolphins likely moved away from the scene quite quickly, and the full environmental impact may not be clear until we understand the scale of the event.
“Unlike other oil spills, we may not see birds, other species, or habitats drenched in oil. From the information available, the incident involves jet fuel, which is likely to evaporate off more rapidly than heavier oils. The ability to respond quickly may also help mitigate the broader environmental impact, in an otherwise tragic situation.”
Jabed Ahmed12 March 2025 23:00
Is there suspected foul play?
American-based maritime news website gCaptain reported that it was told by a US official in the White House that foul play had not been ruled out.
UK transport minister Mike Kane told MPs on Tuesday something went “terribly wrong” for the crash to happen but that there was “no evidence” of foul play.
A 59-year-old Russian national was arrested by Humberside Police on Tuesday on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter.
Oil tanker Stena Immaculate was operating as part of the US government’s tanker security programme, a group of commercial vessels that can be contracted to carry fuel for the military when needed.
Jabed Ahmed12 March 2025 21:29
