Burning Ship to Stay Afloat Near UK as Police Make Arrest

A container ship that crashed into an oil tanker near the UK on Monday is now expected to stay afloat, after earlier indications that it would sink.

The Solong freighter struck an oil tanker called the Stena Immaculate on Monday, causing explosions and the abandonment of both ships by their crew. One member of crew remains unaccounted for and is likely to have died in the incident. The master of the Solong has been detained by local police, said Ernst Russ, the ship’s owner.

Firefighters continue to battle flames on the main deck of the Solong, the local coastguard said in an update Tuesday evening. Air quality sampling has shown no toxins, and previous concerns about dangerous goods on board the ship have reduced significantly.

Earlier, Mike Kane, the country’s minister for aviation, maritime and security, said in a statement to Parliament that the ship was drifting and not expected to remain afloat. But those fears have now eased.

“I was also pleased to have been informed that early indications suggest that both vessels are now expected to stay afloat and that the Solong can be towed away from the shore, and salvage operations can get underway,” transport secretary Heidi Alexander said in a statement. 

The Solong’s owner denied earlier reports that it was hauling sodium cyanide — a dangerous chemical — saying that four of the containers on board had previously carried it. 

The ship’s last signaled location, shortly after the crash, would indicate that the water depth at the site was about 70 feet , according to vessel tracking and nautical mapping data reviewed by Bloomberg.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesman Dave Pares told reporters on Tuesday that there doesn’t appear to be any suggestion of foul play at this time. Humberside Police arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision, according to a statement. The ship’s owner later confirmed it was the master of the Solong.

The fire on the oil tanker Stena Immaculate, which was carrying jet fuel for the US government, has greatly diminished, the coastguard added. The Dutch firm Boskalis said it has been hired to help with the salvage of the tanker.

While the incident is one of the most significant marine disasters in the UK for years, the country’s Health Security Agency said there is currently a very low risk to the public on shore.

The Stena Immaculate was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel for the US Navy when it leaked an unknown quantity of its cargo as a result of the crash.

Footage on the BBC website on Tuesday showed a big hole in at least one of its tanks, although it didn’t appear there was immediate danger of the vessel sinking. Crowley, the company that manages the tanker, said it has 16 segregated tanks, something that might help to restrict the size of the spill. An exclusion zone of one kilometer was in place around both ships. 

The area close to the incident plays home to a host of ecologically important sites, including a 50-kilometer glacial tunnel called the Silver Pit, known for its abundant marine life as well as significant bird habitats.

“If pollution spillage enters the Humber, this could potentially be devastating for the wildlife of the estuary, including important fish stocks and tens of thousands of overwintering and migrating birds who use the mud flats,” said Martin Slater, director of operations at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust. “Many birds are gathering offshore on the sea ahead of the nesting season and we still have wintering waders – plus migrant birds stopping here.”

With assistance from Alex Wickham, Julian Lee, Alex Morales, Sarah Jacob and Olivia Rudgard.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.