A chilling account has emerged from a survivor of Monday’s catastrophic collision in the North Sea, where the U.S.-flagged MV Stena Immaculate, laden with jet fuel, was struck by the Portuguese-registered MV Solong, igniting a massive fireball.
The American sailor, who requested anonymity due to employer restrictions, described a frantic escape as the 600-foot tanker’s cargo tanks ruptured, forcing the crew to abandon ship with mere seconds to react. The Solong, a 461-foot cargo vessel, reportedly continued its impact for 10 minutes, exacerbating the damage before the crews donned protective gear in a futile attempt to combat the blaze.
The incident, which occurred at 9:48 AM UTC off the East Yorkshire coast, saw both vessels engulfed in flames, with jet fuel spilling into the sea and creating a fiery spectacle visible 13 miles away. All 23 crew members of the Stena Immaculate were rescued, though one of the Solong’s 14 sailors remains missing and is presumed dead after an extensive search was halted Monday night. The Stena Immaculate, which had traveled from the Greek port of Agioi Theodoroi before anchoring since Sunday with its coordinates shared, was carrying 220,000 barrels of jet fuel for U.S. military use when the unexpected collision occurred.
Initial fears that the Solong carried sodium cyanide—potentially spilling into the water—were dispelled by its German owner, Ernst Russ AG, which confirmed no such chemical was aboard, though four empty containers previously holding the substance are being monitored.
The environmental toll is already severe, with experts warning of a “toxic legacy” for marine life, including threatened seabird colonies, grey seals, and minke whales near the Humber Estuary. Hugo Tagholm of Oceana UK and Martin Slater of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust highlighted the risk to biodiversity, while the RSPB noted the proximity to England’s largest gannet colony at Bempton Cliffs, where a spill could prove lethal.
The Solong, now a smoldering wreck drifting south and supported by three tugboats, is expected to sink, while the Stena Immaculate’s fire has diminished but left a gaping hole in its hull. A 1,000-meter exclusion zone remains in place as cleanup efforts, potentially lasting weeks, begin amid concerns of oil washing ashore along England’s eastern coast.
The cause of the crash remains under scrutiny, with a senior White House official telling gCaptain.com that foul play, including the possibility of the Solong being hacked by hostile entities like Russia, has not been ruled out.
However, Transport Minister Mike Kane told Parliament Tuesday that no evidence supports this theory, though he admitted “something went terribly wrong.” Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson echoed this, stating there’s no current indication of malicious intent. Humberside Police have arrested a 59-year-old man—the Solong’s captain—on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, while the Marine Accident Investigation Branch, alongside U.S. and Portuguese authorities, probes the incident. Maritime experts suggest the Solong’s crew may have failed to maintain a proper lookout, raising questions about human error versus potential sabotage.