On March 10, 2025, at approximately 10:00 GMT, a collision occurred between the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship Solong and the US-registered tanker Stena Immaculate off the East Yorkshire coast, prompting a criminal investigation by Humberside Police.
The 59-year-old captain of Solong was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter following the incident, which left one crew member missing and presumed dead after search and rescue operations concluded on Monday evening, as confirmed by Transport Minister Mike Kane.
Det Ch Supt Craig Nicholson of Humberside Police stated, “Humberside Police have taken primacy for the investigation of any potential criminal offences which arise from the collision between the two vessels. Following inquiries undertaken by my team, we have arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision. This follows the conclusion of search operations by HM Coastguard for the missing crew member of the Solong. 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 Solong, owned by German firm Ernst Russ, continues to emit smoke while drifting in the Humber Estuary, accompanied by tug boats, though Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander noted that both vessels are expected to remain afloat and that Solong could be “towed away from the shore, and salvage operations can get under way.”
Ernst Russ confirmed the arrested man is the ship’s master, adding, “There are four empty containers that have previously contained the hazardous chemical and these containers will continue to be monitored,” addressing initial concerns about sodium cyanide.
Crowley, the maritime company managing Stena Immaculate, reported that the tanker, carrying 220,000 barrels of Jet-A1 fuel in 16 segregated cargo tanks, was struck while anchored off Hull, resulting in “multiple explosions” and an unknown quantity of jet fuel released into the North Sea.
HM Coastguard confirmed that 36 people were safely brought ashore, with all 23 American crew members of Stena Immaculate now in Grimsby, awaiting repatriation.
The Solong’s crew included Russians and Filipinos, according to Whitehall sources. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch are also involved, with the latter conducting a parallel preliminary assessment into the collision’s causes, to be led by the US and Portugal.
Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, Ernst Russ Group is a shipping company managing a fleet of around 30 vessels, focusing on container ships and tankers, with a reported revenue of €112.8 million in 2023.
Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Crowley is a US-based maritime, logistics, and energy solutions provider founded in 1892, operating over 200 vessels and managing fuel transport for the US military.
Stena Bulk (owner of Stena Immaculate) is a Swedish shipping company headquartered in Gothenburg, Stena Bulk operates a fleet of around 100 tankers worldwide, transporting crude oil and refined products, and is part of the Stena Sphere.