A man has been arrested after the collision between a tanker and a cargo vessel in the North Sea. It happened near the Humber estuary yesterday and involved a US tanker and a Portuguese cargo ship. While 36 people were safely brought ashore, one crew member is still missing and presumed dead.

27 February


05:00

The Stena Immaculate departs Agioi Theodoroi in Greece, transporting jet fuel to Immingham on behalf of the US military.

9 March


18:16

The Stena Immaculate anchors roughly 10 miles off the coast of Withernsea, East Yorkshire.

20:07

The Solong leaves Grangemouth, Scotland, bound for Rotterdam, with arrival scheduled for the following evening.

10 March


09:48

The British Coastguard receives reports of an allision - a term used when a moving ship strikes a stationary object - involving the two vessels in the Humber estuary's outer anchorage.

10:20

Four RNLI lifeboats are dispatched following reports of crew members abandoning ship and fires on board.

11:28

East Midlands Ambulance Service sends multiple units, including its hazardous area response team (HART), following a 999 call.

13:30

Martyn Boyers, chief executive officer of the Port of Grimsby East, confirms 32 casualties have been brought to shore.

14:20

The US-based marine news outlet gCaptain reports that the US government has not ruled out foul play, citing an unnamed White House source.

14:36

Crowley, the company that operates the Stena Immaculate, confirms that the vessel is leaking jet fuel but that its entire crew is accounted for.

14:38

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch confirms it has deployed investigators to Grimsby to assess the situation.

14:34

A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer describes the incident as "deeply concerning".

19:46

Ernst Russ, the Solong's owner, confirms that 13 of its 14 crew members have made it safely ashore, but one person is still missing.

21:30

The British Coastguard states the search for the missing Solong crew member has been stood down, though 36 people have been successfully rescued.

23:20

The Solong breaks away from the Stena Immaculate and starts drifting southwards. A 1km exclusion zone is established as a precaution.

11 March



12:06

The British Coastguard clarifies that one individual was treated for injuries at the scene and did not require hospital care, contrary to earlier reports.

12:27

Ernst Russ addresses speculation, confirming that the Solong was not carrying sodium cyanide.

12:57

British Transport Minister Mike Kane tells Parliament that the missing Solong crew member is now presumed dead.

He added: "Whether there was foul play, I think is speculation. There is no evidence to suggest that at the moment".

15:31

Humberside Police announce a 59-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter following the collision.