A 59-year-old man has been arrested in the UK in connection with a collision between a tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea, which resulted in the death of one sailor and posed a threat of an environmental disaster.
According to the BBC, the police of the Humber side, who are investigating the incident, reported the arrest of the man, who is facing charges of gross negligence that led to the fatality. No further details about the arrested individual have been disclosed. Law enforcement agencies are working closely with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to determine all the circumstances surrounding the incident.
At present, the fire on the Stena Immaculate tanker has almost been extinguished, while the fire on the cargo ship Solong is still ongoing. The tanker is likely to stay afloat due to its design: its hull is divided into isolated compartments, which prevents flooding. Prognosis for the cargo ship is less optimistic.
The accident occurred on the morning of March 10 in the North Sea, off the coast of the UK, when a US-flagged oil tanker collided with a Portuguese-flagged cargo ship. As a result of the collision, aviation fuel from the tanker leaked into the sea. The extent of the environmental damage is still unknown.
One crew member of the cargo ship is missing and is believed to have perished.
