The arrested captain of the Solong, a container ship that crashed into another vessel in the North Sea, is a Russian national, its management company has confirmed.
The 59-year-old was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter on Tuesday after Monday’s fiery collision about 12 miles off the East Yorkshire coast, which left one man presumed dead.
The vessel hit a US-flagged tanker, Stena Immaculate, carrying jet fuel for the American military, which was anchored while waiting for space at a port in the Humber, having travelled from the Peloponnese region of Greece.
The Solong was sailing from Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands at a speed of about 16 knots, equivalent to 18mph, when it collided with the tanker.
Both vessels caught fire after several explosions and 36 crew were rescued, including Americans onboard the Stena Immaculate and the Russian and Filipino nationals that made up the Solong’s crew.
Investigators said nothing was being ruled out, but added there was nothing at this point to suggest there was Russian state involvement in the incident.
It was initially feared the Solong, a cargo ship with a Portuguese flag, was carrying the highly toxic chemical sodium cyanide but its owner, the Hamburg-based maritime firm Ernst Russ, said four containers that had previously held the substance were empty.
Air quality sampling carried out onshore has shown no toxins and modelling from the Met Office indicates no threat to the public, HM Coastguard said.
Though it drifted at least 2 miles south of the collision, the Solong is no longer expected to sink and is anchored with support from a tugboat. The Stena Immaculate is also being held in place by tugboats.
Some of the jet fuel that was onboard the tanker, equivalent to 220,000 barrels in total, will have been burned in what was described as a “massive fireball” but it remains likely some may have been spilled into the sea, causing possible environmental damage.
On Tuesday evening, assistant chief coastguard John Craig said the fire on the Stena Immaculate, which continued to burn throughout the second day, had “greatly reduced”.
He said: “A comprehensive counter-pollution response is in place and HM Coastguard continues to make preparations for any pollution that may occur as a result of the damage to the vessels.
“We continue to engage actively with Humberside police, salvors, the port authorities and other agencies to protect the public and the environment as far as possible while continuing to respond to the developing situation.”
While it will take the Marine Accident Investigation Branch some time to fully investigate the causes of the crash, Humberside police launched a parallel investigation into the man’s death.
On Tuesday Ernst Russ confirmed to the Guardian that the ship’s master had been detained by Humberside police, adding: “The master and our entire team are actively assisting with the investigations. Out of respect for the investigation and all involved we will not comment further at this time.”
The senior investigating officer, DCS Craig Nicholson said on Tuesday: “Extensive work has already been carried out, and we are working closely with our partners to understand what happened, and to provide support to all of those affected.
“The man arrested remains in custody at this time whilst inquiries are under way, and we continue speaking with all those involved to establish the full circumstances of the incident.”
