A collision between an oil tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea, which occurred in “patchy” visibility, involved no “dedicated lookouts” on either vessel, according to investigators.

The incident on March 10 involved the US-chartered oil tanker, the Stena Immaculate, which was anchored around 12 miles off the coast of Yorkshire. It was struck by the container ship, the Solong.

The collision resulted in a “massive fireball” due to aviation fuel intended for the US air force catching fire, with an unknown amount spilling into the sea. A Filipino sailor on the Solong’s upper deck, Mark Pernia, has not been seen since and is considered missing, presumed dead.

An interim report from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) indicated that both ships lacked a dedicated lookout on the bridge during the collision, with visibility described as ranging from 0.25 to 2 nautical miles. Vladimir Motin, the Solong’s Russian master, who was the only watchkeeper on the bridge, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and is set to face trial in 2026.

The MAIB continues its investigation, which will cover navigation practices, manning and fatigue, vessel conditions, the use of the anchorage area, and environmental conditions.

Salvage operations for both vessels are ongoing. After the collision, there were concerns over the potential for “devastating” environmental damage, with thousands of plastic pellets (known as nurdles) retrieved from the sea. While not toxic, these pellets pose a risk to wildlife.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/apr/03/north-sea-collision-stena-immaculate-solong-interim-report