A 59-year-old Russian captain has been arrested in northern England on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter after his container ship collided with an oil tanker transporting fuel for the US military. The incident occurred on Monday, forcing both crews to abandon ship, and one crew member is presumed dead.
The Solong, owned by Ernst Russ, was traveling about 13 nautical miles off the northeastern coast of England when it struck the Stena Immaculate in daylight hours. Radar and alert systems failed to prevent the crash, raising questions about safety protocols.
An investigation into the incident has been launched, with the Humberside Police taking charge. The captain’s nationality was revealed by his company, who claimed he was a Russian citizen. British lawmakers have stated there is no evidence of foul play, while US officials have described the incident as “something that went terribly wrong”.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/world/europe/oil-tanker-crash-north-sea-ship-captain-russian.html