North Sea crash latest: Man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter over North Sea crash is captain of cargo ship (2025)

Thanks for following this live page today as we brought you the latest after the crash between an oil tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea yesterday.

We're pausing our coverage now for the evening.

Scroll down through this page to catch up on the key updates today - including the arrest of the captain of the cargo ship on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter as one crew member remains missing and is presumed dead.

The collision between the oil tanker and the cargo ship is a potential environmental catastrophe, with wildlife groups on standby.

Our science correspondent Thomas Moore looks at the environmental damage the collision could cause:

It has now been confirmed that the 59-year-old man arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision is the captain of the Solong cargo ship.

The ship's owner Ernst Russ said in a statement: "Ernst Russ can confirm that the master of the containership Solong has been detained by Humberside police in the UK.

"The master and our entire team are actively assisting with the investigations. Out of respect for the investigation and all involved we will not comment further at this time."

The master of the ship is understood to be the same as the captain of a ship.

In an earlier statement, detective chief superintendent Craig Nicholson of Humberside Police said: "Extensive work has already been carried out, and we are working closely with our partners to understand what happened, and to provide support to all of those affected.

"Following enquiries undertaken by my team, we have arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision, this follows the conclusion of search operations by HM Coastguard for the missing crew member of the Solong."

Experts have shared their fears over the health and environmental impacts the disaster could have.

Dr Jennifer Allan, an expert in global environmental politics at Cardiff University, said: "It's a disaster in every sense of the word. The health and environmental effects will be short and long term, local and regional.

"The jet fuel will be harmful to local wildlife and beaches and the livelihoods that rely on them. In the long term, it could move up the food chain; for example, from fish into birds and people.

"A rapid response is required and there are longer-term questions of who is liable for the cleanup operations and, potentially, the lasting health and environmental effects."

Dr Leslie Mabon, an expert in climate risk and infrastructure in coastal and marine environments, said knowing what exactly both ships were carrying "and how much leaked into the sea," is going to be crucial to get a clearer picture of the environmental and economic effects of this disaster.

The senior lecturer in environmental systems at The Open University said: "However, there's plenty of evidence globally that can tell us what we need to be looking out for.

"First and foremost is the effect on the marine and coastal ecosystem. It's close to nesting season, so puffins, gannets, kittiwakes among others could be flying around the area and could be exposed to oil or petrol.

"Similarly, there are dolphins and seals. This is also a rich fishing environment with the Grimsby fishing port nearby, and there could be economic consequences if fishing has to be stopped or scaled back."

Our correspondent Tom Parmenter explains the "very difficult" recovery mission as he flies over the crash site.

The Solong container ship is expected to stay afloat, the transport secretary has now said.

Earliertransport minister Mike Kane said the vessel was expected to sink.

But Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has now met with theMaritime and Coastguard Agency's chief executive Virginia McVea to discuss the response to the incident.

She said: "I am reassured to hear indications from the ship's owners which suggest the sodium cyanide containers were empty and that efforts to confirm this by the salvors are underway.

"I was also pleased to have been informed that early indications suggest that both vessels are now expected to stay afloat and that the Solong can be towed away from the shore, and salvage operations can get under way.

"I will continue to monitor the response and have asked for regular updates, including on any potential environmental impacts, across government and our agencies."

The Solong cargo ship will be towed to Belgium if it does not sink, Sky News understands.

The ship is currently adrift off the Lincolnshire coast after the collision yesterday.

HM Coastguard has assessed if it remains afloat it would stay clear of land for the next few hours.

Earlier this afternoon transport minister Mike Kane told MPs the Solong "continues to burn" and is expected to sink.

The North Sea crash has the "potential to be an environmental disaster" and the government should call an emergency meeting to deal with it, according to the head of Hull City Council.

Councillor Mike Ross, the Liberal Democrat leader of the council, said Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer should call a COBRA meeting as soon as possible.

The meetings are only convened to handle matters of national emergency or major disruption.

Ross said: "We urgently need to see the scale of the area affected assessed and the level of pollution resulting from the crash."

He added local people need "assurances that their local communities, coastline and wildlife will be safe".

"That's why I’m calling on Keir Starmer to convene COBRA today - we will only get this assurance if the government acts quickly," he said.

Our science correspondent Thomas Moore has taken these images of one of the trawlers that went near the collision site yesterday.

He says it's been hauled out of the water to be cleaned.

"The concern is that the surface film of jet fuel could have damagedthehull, if not washed off promptly," he says.

The Bridlington RNLI lifeboat was also taken ashore for cleaning this morning, Sky News understands.

A 59-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision yesterday.

Humberside Police launched a criminal investigation and the senior investigating officerDetective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson has issued this statement:"Extensive work has already been carried out, and we are working closely with our partners to understand what happened, and to provide support to all of those affected.

"Following enquiries undertaken by my team, we have arrested a 59-year-old man on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision, this follows the conclusion of search operations by HM Coastguard for the missing crew member of the Solong."

The man arrested remains in custody.