Police have arrested a 59-year-old man suspected of gross negligence manslaughter, stemming from the collision of an oil tanker and a cargo vessel in the North Sea.
Authorities say that the Portuguese-flagged Solong container ship ran into the U.S.-flagged Stena Immaculate oil tanker on March 10, while the tanker was anchored off the eastern coast of the United Kingdom near the city of Hull. A combined 36 people between the two vessels were rescued and brought to shore, although one crew member of the Solong remains missing, and is believed to be dead. According to Humberside police, authorities began a criminal investigation, and ordered an arrest after finishing search efforts for the missing crew member. The owner of the Solong confirmed to the Associated Press that that the suspect was the captain of the cargo vessel, and is a Russian national, although authorities say that there is no evidence of foul play.
With a suspect now in custody, local police say that they plan to continue to speak to anyone involved in the incident, but have not released any other details on the identity of the man arrested, or the role he may have played in the crash.
The Stena Immaculate was carrying an estimated 220,000 barrels of jet fuel at the time of the collision, leading to a series of explosions when the tanker was hit by the Solong. Both vessels were significantly damaged in the crash, although U.K. Transport Minister Mike Kane said that there was “no sign of pollution” as of March 11.
