Ships had no lookouts before crash, says report

An oil tanker and cargo ship that crashed in the North Sea did not have "dedicated lookouts" in what were "patchy conditions", an interim report has found.

The Stena Immaculate, a US-registered tanker carrying aviation fuel, was anchored 16 miles (26km) off the East Yorkshire coast when it was hit by the Portuguese-flagged Solong on 10 March.

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) also released new images of the incident, which resulted in fires and a rescue operation which saved 36 crew from both vessels.

One crew member on the Solong, Mark Pernia, is missing and presumed dead. He was reported to be in the forward area of the ship at the time of impact.

According to the report, the Solong was carrying "various products including some designated as dangerous" when it left Grangemouth in Scotland by 20:00 GMT the day before the crash.

It was heading to Rotterdam using a route it had previously used, the report noted.

The master of the Solong remained on watch for the first three hours of the voyage before handing over to the second officer and going to bed.

He returned the bridge at 07:00 GMT and "took over the watch as the lone watchkeeper", the report said.

The Stena Immaculate had been told by Associate British Ports (ABP) Vessel Traffic Services at about 18:30 GMT on 9 March to anchor north of Humber Estuary, keeping clear of any pipeline. There were eight other vessels anchored in the same area, the report said.

The Solong collided with the tanker at a speed of about 16 knots (18mph/29km/h) at 09:47 GMT the following day.

"The visibility in the area north of the Humber light float was reported to be patchy and varying between 0.25 nautical miles (nm) and 2.0nm," the report said.

"Neither Solong nor Stena Immaculate had a dedicated lookout on the bridge."

According to the report, the collision caused a cargo tank on the Stena Immaculate to breach, spilling aviation fuel into the sea and onto the bow (front) of the Solong before igniting.

The crews of both vessels took immediate action but, according to the report, the severity of the fire hampered efforts to find Mr Pernia, a Filipino national.

The 13 crew members of Solong and 23-strong crew of the Stena Immaculate evacuated to lifeboats and were "subsequently recovered by local boats and emergency responders". Efforts were coordinated by HM Coastguard, said the report.

The MAIB said its full investigation would examine navigation and watchkeeping practices, manning and fatigue management, the condition and maintenance of the vessels involved and the environmental conditions at the time of crash.

Investigators would also look at "the use of the offshore area as an anchorage for vessels waiting to enter the Humber Estuary", said the report.

The Solong was towed to Aberdeen on 28 March as part of the salvage operation, with the Stena Immaculate expected to be taken to the Port of Tyne, near Newcastle, for further inspection.

Concerns have also been raised by wildlife experts about the environmental impact. The report said an evaluation of the nature and extent of the pollution is ongoing.

The Solong's Russian captain, Vladimir Motin, 59, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter, and is due to stand trial in January 2026.

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