North Sea collision: Search for missing crew member called off
The search for a missing crew member has been called off after extensive efforts, according to HM Coastguard, after a tanker carrying jet fuel for the US military and a cargo ship carrying highly toxic chemicals collided in the North Sea at 9.48am on Monday morning (10 March 2025).
The collision, which occurred near the Humber Estuary off the eastern coast of England, involved the US-registered Stena Immaculate and the Portuguese-flagged Solong, which the missing crew member had been aboard. Both vessels caught fire and there were multiple explosions after the collision. The other 36 crew members from both ships have been successfully rescued, with one person being hospitalised.
Responding to the incident, Stuart Rivers, CEO of the Merchant Navy Welfare Board (MNWB), said: “We are devastated to hear of the collision between an oil tanker ship and cargo ship that took place earlier today.
“My heart goes out to all of the seafarers affected. Our brave seafarers risk their lives every day to keep global trade moving, and in moments like this, we are reminded of the dangers they face at sea. As reports continue to unfold, we are praying that all crew involved are unharmed.”
The Stena Immaculate, which was carrying Jet-A1 fuel for the US Department of Defense, was at anchor when it was struck by the Solong at 16 knots. The impact reportedly ruptured a cargo tank, releasing jet fuel into the sea and igniting fires on both ships. Flames were further exacerbated by the presence of flammable fuel and toxic fumes.
Emergency responders, including the Coastguard rescue helicopter, lifeboats and nearby firefighting vessels, were dispatched immediately. Maritime services company Svitzer deployed four boats that have been actively battling the flames since their arrival.
Michael Paterson, managing director of Svitzer, highlighted the difficulties posed by the flammable nature of the oil and jet fuel in an interview with the BBC, describing the incident as “one of the most serious” he had encountered.
The Solong had been transporting 15 containers of sodium cyanide, a highly toxic substance used in metal plating and dye production. While it remains unclear whether any of the chemicals leaked into the water, experts have warned that if sodium cyanide interacts with water, it could generate hazardous hydrogen cyanide gas.
Environmental concerns are mounting as efforts to assess the extent of pollution continue. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust have issued a statement saying they are “deeply concerned” about the ramifications.
Martin Slater, director of operations at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, says: “Our thoughts are with everyone immediately involved in the accident and the emergency response operation. This is obviously a very worrying incident and we’re following developments closely, including waiting to see if there is any pollution into the North Sea.
“East Yorkshire’s coast is home to protected and significant colonies of seabirds including puffins, razorbills, gannets and kittiwakes. Many birds are gathering offshore on the sea ahead of the nesting season and we still have wintering waders – plus migrant birds stopping here – so we’re very worried indeed about the threat to these birds. Also, there are significant numbers of Atlantic grey seals in the area, many rearing this year’s young, as well as porpoises and other cetaceans around Spurn.
“If pollution spillage enters the Humber, this could potentially be devasting for the wildlife of the estuary, including important fish stocks and tens of thousands of overwintering and migrating birds who use the mud flats.” Greenpeace UK has also expressed its deep concern over the potential multiple toxic hazards.
Mark Hartl, of the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology at Heriot-Watt University, told AP News that jet fuel evaporates more quickly than crude oil, which could mitigate some of the environmental damage.
The British government has initiated an evaluation of necessary counter-pollution measures.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch. Maritime risk experts suggest that human error, possibly due to improper radar monitoring, could have played a role.
Speaking to AP News, Abdul Khalique of Liverpool John Moores University speculated that the Solong’s crew may not have been maintaining a proper lookout, a violation of international maritime regulations.
Andy Teasdale, a marine safety advisor to the Institute of Marine Science, Engineering and Technology (IMarEST), says: “An expert team of specialists from the Marine Accident Investigation Board will have been scrambled for this incident almost immediately, and they will report in due course. We can’t speculate on the cause of the accident, but we can see that something was potentially amiss on the MV Solong, as no avoidance or slowdown can be seen from the route tracking.
“To explore this, MAIB’s expert investigators will seek to recover both vessels’ Voyage Data Recorders (VDR) and assemble all radio messages between traffic control and coastguards. All those rescued from the vessels will be interviewed and given precautionary drug and alcohol tests.”
Video footage of the collision this morning (11 March 2025) shows thick black smoke billowing from both ships. The Humber Estuary remains closed to traffic, impacting ferry operations between Hull and Rotterdam.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office described the incident as “extremely concerning,” while Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander praised the swift response of the emergency services. She emphasised that efforts would continue over the coming days to manage the aftermath.
Leave a Reply