North Sea collision timeline: How devastating oil tanker crash unfolded | EUROtoday

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Anchored 13 miles from the coast, the US-flagged Stenna Immaculate was set for a routine cease on the Humber Estuary port in East Yorkshire.

But a “massive” ship “came out of the blue” on Monday morning and smashed into the 183-metre oil tanker, which had left Greece two weeks earlier, inflicting an on the spot fireball which was nonetheless burning 24 hours later.

The Portuguese-flagged cargo ship Solong, which was crusing to Rotterdam from Grangemouth, Scotland, collided with the tanker laden with 35 million litres of US army jet gas.

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An enormous 12-hour rescue operation involving lifeboats and helicopters was launched with 36 folks delivered to shore. One sailor is lacking and presumed lifeless, and one other was rushed to hospital.

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An American sailor onboard the Stenna Immaculate instructed CBS News he solely had seconds to react after listening to shouts to brace proper earlier than the devastating impression.

The 140-metre Solong didn’t instantly cease and drove into his ship for what appeared like 10 minutes as flames instantly erupted round him, he added.

The resolution was made to desert ship as soon as all of the crew members had been accounted for. They left the vessel on a lifeboat, with the captain being the final individual to disembark, he mentioned.

The proprietor of the Solong container ship confirmed its Russian captain had been arrested, hours after Humberside Police mentioned it had arrested a 59-year-old man.

He was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter following the collision between the 2 vessels.

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One crew member from the Solong continues to be lacking and presumed lifeless, after a search and rescue operation that ended on Monday night.

The oil tanker’s administration agency, Crowley, has since revealed it sustained a ruptured cargo tank after it was struck, inflicting “multiple explosions” and jet gas to be launched into the water.

Oil spill researcher Dr Alex Lukyanov, of the University of Reading, mentioned: “This particular incident is troubling because it appears to involve persistent oil, which breaks up slowly in water.”

There had been fears Solong was carrying sodium cyanide, however transport firm Ernst Russ, which manages the vessel, mentioned that was not the case.

Four empty containers on board that “previously contained the hazardous chemical” will “continue to be monitored”, it added.

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Downing Street mentioned the collision and subsequent spill was “extremely concerning”, whereas the coastguard mentioned it was assessing the “likely counter-pollution response required”.

The authorities mentioned on Tuesday that early investigations didn’t point out that the incident was brought on by foul play.

Transport minister Mike Kane mentioned Solong “continues to burn” and the coastguard mentioned “it is unlikely the vessel will remain afloat”.

He mentioned the “working assumption” is one crew member from the container ship has died, after a search and rescue operation was ended on Monday night.

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A Department for Transport spokesperson mentioned: “We are working closely with HM Coastguard to help support the response to the incident in the North Sea. We are grateful to all emergency personnel for their continued efforts.”

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander added: “I am hugely grateful to HM Coastguard, the RNLI and emergency services who have responded to this incident.

“They were on the scene swiftly, have helped rescue those in immediate danger and I know they will continue to work tirelessly over the coming days. My thoughts are with all those involved, especially the family of the missing crew member.

“The Maritime Accident Investigation Branch has begun a preliminary assessment, and I am working closely with the MCA (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) as they conduct an assessment of any counter-pollution response which may be required over the coming days.”