The co-owners of the Stena Immaculate oil tanker have released the first image of some members of its crew, commending their “exceptional bravery” following a recent maritime incident. The tanker collided with the cargo ship Solong on March 10 in the North Sea, just off the coast of East Yorkshire, leading to an explosion and fires that have since been extinguished.
One crew member from the Solong, a Filipino national named Mark Angelo Pernia, is currently missing and is presumed dead. Following the collision, the captain of the Solong, Vladimir Motin, a 59-year-old from St Petersburg, Russia, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter.
Environmental concerns and rescue efforts
The owners of the Solong acknowledged that tiny plastic pellets, stored in containers aboard the vessel, were released during the incident, with reports of these pellets washing up on beaches in Lincolnshire and Norfolk.
Crowley, the Florida-based maritime firm responsible for managing the Stena Immaculate, shared a photo on social media featuring 19 crew members. In their statement, the company expressed gratitude for the crew’s quick thinking and teamwork during the emergency situation, stating, “Our deepest gratitude and respect goes out to our 23 mariners from the Stena Immaculate for their exceptional bravery and quick action during the recent allision to their ship in the North Sea.” They highlighted the crew’s decisive actions, which included activating fire monitors to limit the damage to just one of the 16 cargo holds.
Ongoing monitoring and recovery operations
HM Coastguard reported that 36 individuals from both vessels were rescued and brought safely to shore in Grimsby. Chief Coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan indicated that efforts to retrieve the released plastic pellets would continue, as sightings of these pellets, known as nurdles, were reported off The Wash and along the Norfolk coastline.
Environmental groups, such as the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust and the RSPB, confirmed the presence of the burnt pellets along various beaches and urged the public to avoid handling the materials. The National Trust noted that they would assess areas of concern for any potential environmental impact.
In response to the incident, the shipping company Ernst Russ, which owns the Solong, stated, “We can confirm that a number of containers on board Solong contain plastic nurdles. We understand that no containers holding nurdles have been lost over the side. What we understand may have occurred, is that intense heat during initial firefighting efforts caused one or more of the openings of some of the smaller containers to open, resulting in the release of some contents.” They have initiated measures to mitigate long-term impacts on the marine environment.
As both vessels remain stable, the ongoing salvage operations continue, with temperatures being monitored following the extinguishing of the fires on board the Solong. Regular aerial surveillance flights are in place to oversee both vessels and the recovery processes.
The RNLI has expressed gratitude for the efforts of volunteer lifeboat crews from various locations, recognizing the challenging conditions they faced during the search and rescue operations. The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision to identify its causes.