The co-owners of the oil tanker Stena Immaculate have released the first image showing 19 crew members while commending their “exceptional bravery” following a collision with cargo ship Solong in the North Sea.
The vessels collided off East Yorkshire on March 10, causing an explosion and fires which have now been extinguished. A Filipino crew member from the Portuguese-flagged Solong, identified as 38-year-old Mark Angelo Pernia, is missing and presumed dead.
The Russian captain of the Solong, 59-year-old Vladimir Motin from St Petersburg, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and remains in custody until his April 14 court appearance.
Florida-based Crowley, which manages the tanker, praised the 23 Stena Immaculate crew members for their “decisive efforts and teamwork” during emergency procedures that “helped save lives, protect the vessel and minimize environmental impact.” The company noted their actions limited damage to just one of 16 cargo holds.
HM Coastguard confirmed 36 people from both ships were safely rescued and brought to Grimsby. The RNLI acknowledged volunteer lifeboat crews from five locations who spent hours in challenging conditions during rescue operations.
Chief Coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan reported both vessels are now stable with ongoing salvage operations. Cleanup efforts continue to remove plastic resin pellets called nurdles that have washed up on Norfolk beaches and around The Wash. Though not toxic, these small plastic balls pose ingestion risks to wildlife.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch is working to determine the cause of the collision.
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