London (United Kingdom), March 12 (LaPresse/AP) – The captain of the cargo ship that collided with a U.S. oil tanker, who was arrested by British police, is a Russian citizen. The 59-year-old man remains in custody. His identity has not been disclosed by the authorities. The captain was arrested on Tuesday in northeast England on charges of gross negligence manslaughter following the collision. He has not yet been formally charged.
The shipping company Ernst Russ, owner of the Portuguese-flagged cargo ship Solong, stated that the 14 crew members were Russian and Filipino nationals. The vessel collided on Monday with an oil tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military in the North Sea, off the eastern coast of England, setting both ships on fire. A sailor from the Solong has reportedly been declared dead due to the collision, which has raised concerns about severe environmental damage. British authorities have stated that there is no suspicion of foul play.