Police given more time to question collision captain amid inquiry ‘complexities’

Police questioning the captain of a container ship which crashed into a US oil tanker in the North Sea say they have been given extra time to hold the 59-year-old Russian “due to the complexities of the incident”.

Humberside Police confirmed on Friday that magistrates had granted a further extension to the time detectives can hold the sailor, who was arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter on Monday evening, hours after the collision between his vessel, the Solong, and the Stena Immaculate off the east coast of Yorkshire.

Thirty-six people from both vessels made it ashore but one member of the crew of the Solong remains unaccounted for and is presumed dead.

Arrest

A force spokesman said on Friday: “The man was arrested late on Monday evening and he has remained in custody since this time with an additional 36-hour extension granted by the magistrates’ court on Wednesday March 12, and now a further 24-hour extension granted yesterday afternoon, Thursday March 13.

“Additional time has been imperative to the investigation due to the complexities of the incident with the vessels in the sea, the number of witnesses involved and establishing any scenes to collate and gather information and evidence.

“Extensive lines of inquiry are continuing, and further updates will be provided when we can.”

The police statement continued: “Specialist officers are continuing to support family of the missing crew member of the Solong, who is believed to be deceased.

“Our thoughts are with the family at this incredibly difficult time.”

The Stena Immaculate is still at anchor at the point where the collision happened, which is about 12 miles off the East Yorkshire coast, near Withernsea.

The Solong drifted south of this location, to a point where it could be seen off the Lincolnshire coast, and on Thursday chief coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan said it “continues to be held in a safe location by tug”.

Mr O’Callaghan said the coastguard “continues to support the joint response to the collision”, adding that small pockets of fire are still reported to be on the top deck of the Solong and specialist vessels are supporting the firefighting efforts.

Salvors have boarded the vessels to assess the damage while surveillance flights continue to monitor the two ships.

“Contained”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Thursday the situation was “reasonably contained”.

Pressed on calls for a Cobra meeting to assess the potential environmental damage, he said: “We are absolutely monitoring this 24/7 and I’ve got teams doing that and assuring me of what’s going on.

“At the moment, the situation is reasonably contained. And, obviously, we will do whatever is necessary.”

US-based maritime news website gCaptain said it was told by a US official at the White House that foul play had not been ruled out.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), which will lead the safety probe into the incident, has said that the Solong “altered course” at about 1.30am on Monday, as it passed to the east of Longstone lighthouse, on to “a heading of approximately 150 degrees”, which is a south-east direction.

The crash happened eight hours and 17 minutes later.

The ship was travelling at about 16.4 knots, the MAIB added, the equivalent land speed for which is 18.9mph.

The Solong frequently travelled between Grangemouth in Scotland and Rotterdam and regularly used the route it took on the day of the collision, the statement added.