A 59-year-old Russian national who serves as the captain of a cargo vessel has been arrested in northeast England on suspicion of manslaughter by gross negligence over a collision with a US tanker in the North Sea, according to the ship’s owner. The incident occurred when the cargo ship collided with the MV Stena Immaculate, a tanker carrying jet fuel for the US military.
The captain remains in police custody, and authorities have found no evidence of foul play or national security connections to the crash. The investigation is being led by the US and Portugal, where the vessels are flagged.
Inspectors had previously identified several safety concerns with the cargo ship, including inadequate alarms and poor maintenance of survival craft. Despite these issues, the vessel was not detained after previous inspections in Ireland and Scotland.
The collision caused significant damage to both vessels, setting them ablaze, but fortunately, most crew members were rescued without major injuries. One sailor is still missing and presumed dead. The investigation into the cause of the collision continues as environmentalists raise concerns about potential harm to marine life and ecosystems.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/north-sea-ships-collide-russian-captain-d4a984f46fc00d0e7b96ec0820a9b836