A lack of seamen on watch and adverse weather conditions may have contributed to the collision between the container ship Solong and the tanker Stena Immaculate off the coast of England in March.
This is what the preliminary report of the British Maritime Accident Investigation Bureau states.
It says that the Russian captain of the Solong, Vladimir Motin, was “the only one on watch“ at the time of the incident.
“Visibility in the area north of the Humber Lighthouse is reported to be patchy, ranging from 0.25 nautical miles to 2.0 nautical miles. Neither the Solong nor the Stena Immaculate had a dedicated bridge observer,“ the report notes.
The authors of the document add that the container ship was traveling at a speed of 16 knots (29.6 km/h) at the time of the collision with the tanker.
The bureau stressed that the investigation will focus on "navigation and watchkeeping practices on board both ships, the crew, methods of monitoring fatigue, the condition and maintenance of the ships, the use of the coastal area as an anchorage for ships awaiting entry into the Humber Estuary, and the environmental conditions at the time."
On the morning of March 10, the Portuguese-flagged container ship Solong collided in the North Sea with the American-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate, which at the time was anchored.
After a cargo tank ruptured, some of the jet fuel carried by the tanker spilled into the sea. Explosions occurred on the Stena Immaculate, after which both ships caught fire. One of the sailors from the Solong disappeared, the search for him was suspended on the first day and he is presumed dead.
All other crew members on both ships were evacuated. As a result of the incident, 59-year-old Captain Motin was detained on charges of criminal negligence causing death. His trial is expected to begin in January 2026.