Russian Captain Arrested Following North Sea Ship Collision

HULL, England — A serious maritime accident occurred on March 10, 2025, in the North Sea when the container ship Solong, captained by a 59-year-old Russian national, collided with the American tanker Stena Immaculate, which was transporting aviation fuel for the U.S. military. Following the incident, British police arrested the captain on suspicion of manslaughter related to the disappearance of one crew member, as reported by Reuters, citing the ship’s owner, the German company Ernst Russ.

The collision took place off the coast of East Yorkshire, approximately 10 miles from the port of Hull, near the Humber Estuary. The Solong, traveling at 16 knots from Grangemouth, Scotland, struck the anchored Stena Immaculate, which was loaded with 220 barrels of Jet-A1 fuel. The impact resulted in explosions, damaging one of the tanker’s fuel tanks and causing a fire on both vessels, along with a fuel leak that raised concerns of an environmental disaster.

Rescue operations successfully evacuated 32 individuals: 13 from the Solong and 23 from the Stena Immaculate. However, one sailor from the container ship remains missing. A search effort was halted due to inclement weather, yielding no results thus far. The crew of the Solong included Russian and Filipino nationals, with the captain now under investigation.

In response to the incident, British authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation. A representative from the UK Maritime and Coastal Agency informed the Financial Times that various scenarios are being examined, including human error, technical malfunctions, and potential external interference.

The repercussions of the collision extend beyond immediate concerns. According to the BBC, the fire on the Solong was not fully contained until the morning of March 12, while the blaze on the Stena Immaculate was extinguished earlier. Environmental activists expressed alarm over the fuel leak but noted that a rapid response helped avert a worst-case scenario. The Stena Immaculate, managed by Swedish Stena Sphere and American Crowley, is part of the U.S. Tanker Security Program.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the situation as a “serious challenge” and has called for an expedited investigation into the incident. As authorities continue to assess the situation, the maritime community remains on high alert for potential environmental impacts.