North Sea tanker crew praised for bravery after collision

A tanker and a cargo ship collided in the North Sea on March 10, leading to one sailor presumed dead. The incident happened off the coast of East Yorkshire, and the alarm was raised at the Humber Estuary. Thankfully, HM Coastguard rescued 36 people from both vessels and brought them to safety in Grimsby. The tanker, called Stena Immaculate, is managed by the Florida-based company Crowley. They commended the crew for their “exceptional bravery and quick action” during the emergency. Crowley emphasized the crew’s teamwork and their efforts to control the fire and keep the ship safe. They stated that the crew ensured critical systems were in place to minimize damage. The collision caused some damage to a cargo tank on Stena Immaculate, which contained A1-jet fuel. However, the company reported that the fuel spill had a “limited” impact, with much of it evaporating after exposure to fires. Meanwhile, the cargo ship Solong released tiny plastic pellets that have been found on beaches in Norfolk and Lincolnshire. A clean-up operation is currently in progress to protect wildlife from these pellets. Authorities discovered that Solong had failed safety checks related to steering last July and had other deficiencies noted during inspections. The ship's captain, Vladimir Motin, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter. He appeared in Hull Magistrates’ Court but did not enter a plea. Motin was remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear in a higher court in London on April 14. Investigations into the collision are ongoing.