Incident Overview

A man has been taken into custody by UK authorities on suspicion of manslaughter following a collision between two ships in the North Sea, as reported by Sky News. The incident, which involved a container ship colliding with a stationary tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military, occurred off the eastern coast of England on Monday.

Arrest and Investigation

Humberside Police released a statement to Sky News confirming the arrest of a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision. The individual is currently being held in custody but has not been formally charged. The police will be working in conjunction with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch to determine the exact cause of the incident.

Incident Details

The U.S. fuel tanker, Stena Immaculate, was anchored off the coast of England when it was struck by the Portuguese-flagged Solong cargo ship around 9:45 a.m. local time on Monday. The collision resulted in fires and multiple explosions. While 36 people were rescued, one person is missing and presumed dead on the Solong. The damaged ship is expected to be allowed to sink.

Ship Details and Route

The Solong had departed from a port in Scotland on Sunday and was headed to Rotterdam, Netherlands. The Stena Immaculate was carrying approximately 220,000 barrels of jet fuel, according to the Independent. Initial reports suggested that the Solong may have been carrying sodium cyanide, a hazardous chemical, but the ship’s owners denied this, clarifying that the containers in question were empty, having previously been used to transport the chemical.

Concerns and Response

British politicians have expressed concerns that the incident may have involved "foreign interference," although a cause has yet to be determined. The UK’s maritime minister, Mike Kane, noted that it is reasonable to pose the question but emphasized that they currently do not have enough information. Kane stated, "At the moment, we feel there is no malign intention to this incident. However, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch will investigate," as reported by the Independent.

Investigation and Support

The fact that the Stena Immaculate was anchored at the time of the collision has raised questions. Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson of Humberside Police assured that they would be working closely with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch to establish the full circumstances of the incident. Nicholson expressed, "Our thoughts are with the family of the missing crew member, and I have appointed Family Liaison Officers to make contact and provide support to the family." The man arrested remains in custody while inquiries are ongoing.