LONDON — A 59 year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of “gross negligence manslaughter” after two ships crashed in the North Sea, 56 kilometers off the British coast, local police said.
U.K. and international authorities are facing urgent questions about what went wrong and how bad the impact could be. Could there be an ecological calamity on Britain’s eastern beaches? And why did the two ships collide? Here is what we know so far:
What happened?
The Stena Immaculate, a U.S.-flagged tanker carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel, reportedly for the American military, was struck while anchored offshore on Monday morning by the Solong, a cargo ship sailing under a Portuguese flag.
The crews abandoned their vessels and all but one of 37 were saved as nearby ships and coast guard scrambled to the scene. One crew member from the Solong is missing and is presumed dead.
How bad is the damage?
Firefighters gained control of a fire on the Stena Immaculate on Tuesday, while the Solong remained ablaze. In a statement to parliament, Under-Secretary of State for Transport Michael Kane said it was “unlikely” the Solong will remain afloat.
What caused the crash?
Investigators are now working to discover how the collision occurred.
Kane, the junior transport minister, said there was no evidence to suggest foul play, even though enquiries into the cause of the crash have only just begun.
The Stena was anchored at the time of the collision, leading to questions as to whether the tanker was incorrectly moored in a shipping lane or whether the cargo ship had been on the wrong course, said David Slater, a professor with the school of engineering at Cardiff University.
But the government gave no initial assessment. “Something did go terribly wrong,” Kane said.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed to POLITICO that investigators will be arriving in Britain “to conduct the investigation over the coming days.”
Humberside Police announced on Tuesday they had arrested a 59-year-old man “on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision.” Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson said: “The man arrested remains in custody at this time whilst inquiries are under way and we continue speaking with all those involved to establish the full circumstances of the incident.”
What’s the impact?
The destruction of the Stena disrupts a key U.S. military refueling plan at a time of heightened global tensions. The Stena was one of 10 tankers in the Tanker Security Program, a fleet designed to provide a back-up fuel supply to U.S. defense forces in times of emergency.
What’s the pollution risk?
Authorities said it was too early to say whether the collision could cause a major environmental disaster. The northeastern coastline of England houses marine protected areas, important fisheries and seabird colonies.
What’s the current situation?
Kane, the U.K. minister, said the priority was to extinguish the fires on the vessels involved. On Tuesday the burning Solong had broken free of the anchored Stena and was drifting. Two tugboats were alongside the stricken ship, ensuring it moved no closer to shore.
Once the situation is stabilized, Kane said, the authorities will assess the risks. “Counter-pollution measures and assets are already in place, and both vessels are being closely monitored for structural integrity,” he said.
How dangerous is the fuel on the tanker?
Experts said the jet fuel on board the Stena was extremely toxic to marine life and highly volatile, meaning its lifespan in the environment would be shorter than heavier forms of oil such as crude. Anti-pollution crews will use foam to mop the oil from the sea.
Jet fuel “has minimal environmental impacts when it leaks, because it will either ignite and burn, or evaporate,” said Andy Teasdale, a marine safety advisor to the Institute of Marine Science, Engineering and Technology.
However, jet fuel is “50 times more toxic to aquatic life than diesel oil, which in turn is more toxic than crude oil,” said Alastair Grant, emeritus professor of ecology at the University of East Anglia.
This means that “it will have an acute effect on organisms in the immediate aftermath of the spill and [will] lead to various degrees of stress in exposed animals,” said Heriot-Watt University marine ecotoxicologist Mark Hartl.
Moreover, Teasdale said, it was still unknown what fuel both ships were carrying to power their own engines. “If the vessel sinks or tanks are breached, then the bunkered fuel may leak out and start to produce pollution,” he said.
What was the cargo ship carrying?
Kane said the government had yet to confirm reports that the Solong was carrying 15 containers of highly toxic sodium cyanide. The German owner of the Solong, Ernst Russ AG, said the containers had been emptied.
If the chemical was released into the environment, experts said, it would also be relatively short-lived but could release poisonous gases into the air.
Authorities said the air quality in the immediate area was normal, while the U.K. Health Security Agency said on Tuesday that the risk to public health onshore was “very low.”
Noah Keate contributed reporting.
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