UK makes manslaughter arrest of ship captain over North Sea crash

GRIMSBY, United Kingdom: British police arrested a 59-year-old man on Tuesday on suspicion of manslaughter in connection with a ship crash in the North Sea that sparked a massive blaze, leaving one crew member missing and presumed dead.

Investigations have already started into what led a cargo ship to strike a tanker carrying jet fuel on Monday, as fears remained of possible harm to the area´s marine and wildlife. The UK Coastguard, which led the operation, rescued 36 people on Monday, including all the 23 crew on the US-flagged Stena Immaculate tanker, which had been chartered by the US military.

But a missing member of the Solong cargo vessel crew was “likely deceased”, UK transport minister Mike Kane told parliament. Police in England reported an arrest, but released little information about the suspect.

“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,” Humberside police´s senior investigating officer Craig Nicholson said in a statement.