London, England – The captain of the Solong cargo ship, a Russian national, was arrested after colliding with a US-flagged tanker off the English coast. The incident resulted in a fire engulfing both vessels and triggered emergency rescue efforts by the British coastguard.

Following the crash, British police launched a criminal investigation and arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter. The arrested individual, confirmed by the ship’s owner Ernst Russ as the captain, is of Russian nationality. Other crew members on board the Solong consist of a mix of Russians and Filipinos, according to a spokesperson.

Martyn Boyers, chief executive of the nearby Port of Grimsby East, expressed astonishment at the collision, considering the advanced technology available to modern vessels for route planning and obstacle avoidance. Despite this, the Portuguese-flagged Solong continued to burn days after the accident, while the fire on the Stena Immaculate was extinguished the day before.

The missing crew member from the Solong is presumed deceased, as stated by Britain’s maritime minister Mike Kane after search and rescue efforts were concluded. However, the remaining 13 crew members of the cargo ship, as well as the entire 23-person crew of the Stena Immaculate, were successfully rescued.

Managed by the United States logistics firm Crowley, the Stena Immaculate is part of a fleet of tankers involved in a US government program to supply fuel to the military. Known as the Department of Defense’s “Tanker Security Program,” Crowley ensures that a commercial fleet is on standby to transport liquid fuel supplies during critical times.