- One Crew Member Missing, Presumed Dead After Ship Collision.
- Cargo Ship Captain Charged with Manslaughter Following Crash.
- Oil Tanker Loses Over 17,000 Barrels of Fuel in North Sea Collision.
A collision between the oil tanker Stena Immaculate and the cargo ship Solong occurred off the East Yorkshire coast at about 10:00 GMT on Monday. Following the collision, one crew member of the Solong, Mark Angelo Pernia, has been reported missing and is presumed dead, reports BBC.
Captain of Solong Charged with Manslaughter
The captain of the cargo vessel Solong, Vladimir Motin has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and appeared at Hull Magistrates’ Court on Saturday. He was taken into custody and is to appear again at the Central Criminal Court in London on 14 April. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has opened an investigation into the crash to determine its cause.
The extent of Damage and Fuel Loss
According to a statement by the owners of the Stena Immaculate, Crowley, of the 220,000 barrels of Jet-A1 fuel, 17,515 were lost when it was struck and went up in flames.
Heroic Action of Crew Praised
Crowley commended the tanker’s crew for their efforts in minimising damage. Cal Hayden, the company’s vice president, stated: “Their heroic action limited damage to only the cargo tanks impacted.” He also noted that fire monitors were actively used to provide boundary cooling water to adjacent cargo tanks, preventing further escalation.
Ongoing Salvage and Environmental Concerns
Crowley confirmed that salvage experts at SMIT Salvage are conducting an onboard assessment. Meanwhile, HM Coastguard has stated that “there continues to be no cause for concern for pollution from the tanker.” Crowley reiterated its commitment to supporting the UK response and any necessary environmental remediation.
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Source: BBC
