Burning containership Solong towed to a safe location
Solong collided with tanker Stena Immaculate off the UK coast on Monday, March 10
No fire is visible on board Stena Immaculate, but small pockets can still be seen on the deck of the containership, the coastguard said
THE containership that collided with a tanker off the UK coast has been towed to a safe location, UK Coastguard has said.
Chief coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan said there were no longer fires visible on board US-flagged Stena Immaculate (IMO: 9693018), which remains at anchor.
Pockets of fire can however still be seen on the deck of Madeira-flagged Solong (IMO: 9322554), which began to drift south after separating from Stena Immaculate on the evening of March 11.
But O’Callaghan said the containership has now been towed to a safe location, with salvors set to conduct assessments of the vessels as soon as they are safe to board.
Aerial surveillance flights have not found any sign of pollution in the water from the incident, O’Callaghan added, though the coastguard has a “comprehensive counter pollution response in place should it be required”.
Humberside Police announced on Tuesday, March 11 it had arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the incident.
Solong’s owner Ernst Russ confirmed yesterday that the man in question was the master of the containership and a Russian national.
Humberside police said “detectives are continuing to conduct extensive lines of enquiry” in connection to the collision.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is also leading the safety investigation.
The International Transport Workers’ Federation has called for a “fully transparent and internationally coordinated” investigation into the collision.
General secretary Stephen Cotton said there were “crucial questions that remain unanswered in the wake of this tragedy, and these must be addressed through a full and transparent internationally coordinated investigations, with the full co-operation of all the jurisdictions involved and all relevant national and international maritime authorities”.
“It’s of vital importance that we understand the working conditions faced by the crew, and that investigating authorities ensure fair treatment for all crew members in line with international guidelines and safeguards.”
