THE master of a containership that collided with a tanker off the UK coast has been arrested by UK police.

Ernst Russ, which owns Madeira-flagged Solong (IMO: 9322554), confirmed the Russian national was the man that Humberside Police arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter yesterday.

The containership was heading to Rotterdam when it collided with US-flagged Stena Immaculate (IMO: 9693018), which was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel for the US military.

All of the Stena Immaculate’s crew have been accounted for, but one member of Solong’s crew remains missing, and is “assumed deceased”, UK shipping minister Mike Kane told the UK Parliament yesterday.

Assistant chief coastguard John Craig said the two vessels were interlocked and held in place by the tanker’s anchor, but Solong detached and began to drift south overnight.

“A tow line has now successfully been put in place and a tug is holding Solong offshore in a safer position,” he said.

Craig said the fire on Stena Immaculate is “greatly reduced with no flames visible”.

The coastguard originally reported that Solong was carrying sodium cyanide, but it has since been confirmed that the vessel is carrying empty containers that had carried the chemical.

“The threat from the previously identified dangerous goods on board has reduced significantly,” Craig said.

“Air quality sampling onshore has shown no toxins and modelling from the Met Office indicates no threat to the public.”

In an update issued on March 12, Maritime and Coastguard Agency chief executive Virginia McVea said Solong was being held “in a safe position offshore” by a tug. An assessment of the vessel on the morning of March 12 showed fires on board had greatly reduced "in their extent and intensity". 

Owner Ernst Russ confirmed that vessels continued to fight fires on board Solong, which is still emitting smoke. 

“We are very aware of the efforts and assistance from all those acting in the response,” the owner said in a statement. 

“We want to thank everyone who has responded urgently and gallantly to this incident.

Stena Immaculate remains at anchor, McVea said, and an on board assessment might take place as soon as today (March 12). 

Operator Crowley said it was unclear how much jet fuel could have been released, “but initial review shows impacts have been limited due to exposure to the fire and evaporation of the Jet A1 fuel”.