Maritime Heroism: Crew of Stena Immaculate Rescued Amid North Sea Collision

After a collision with the cargo ship Solong, the crew of the oil tanker Stena Immaculate displayed remarkable courage, prompting praise from their management. Meanwhile, recovery efforts continue for lost cargo and environmental protection.

The co-owners of the Stena Immaculate oil tanker, involved in a recent collision with the cargo ship Solong, have expressed their admiration for the crew’s “exceptional bravery.” The unfortunate incident occurred on March 10 off the coast of East Yorkshire, leading to an explosion and subsequent fires at sea, all of which have now been extinguished. Tragically, one crew member of the Solong, a Filipino national, is missing and presumed dead, while the Russian captain faces charges of gross negligence manslaughter.

Florida-based maritime operations firm, Crowley, which manages the Stena Immaculate, shared a heartfelt message on social media, highlighting the “decisive efforts and teamwork” of the crew in executing critical fire and emergency duties. Acknowledging their swift actions, the company noted that these efforts saved lives, preserved the integrity of the vessel, and minimized environmental harm, keeping damage to just one of the 16 cargo holds.

Safety officials confirmed that a total of 36 individuals from both vessels were rescued and transported safely to Grimsby. Coastguard Chief Paddy O'Callaghan reported that efforts would continue to retrieve plastic resin balls—known as nurdles—spotted along the Norfolk coast. Although nurdles are non-toxic, they pose ingestion risks to wildlife.

Shipping company Ernst Russ, which owns the Solong, confirmed containers onboard contained nurdles but indicated that intense heat during firefighting likely caused openings to release some contents, although no containers were lost overboard. The company has acted to reduce potential long-term ecological impacts and is coordinating with the coastguard regarding recovery operations. Both vessels remain stable as salvage operations go on.

Frequent aerial surveillance and retrieval operations are ongoing, with local ecosystems being monitored as pellets appear on the shore. RNLI volunteers, including those from Bridlington and Cleethorpes, have been commended for their significant contributions to the search and rescue missions.

Mark Angelo Pernia, identified as the missing crew member, remains a focus for recovery teams. Meanwhile, Captain Vladimir Motin has faced legal proceedings, charged with gross negligence manslaughter, and is set to appear in court in London next month, as the Marine Accident Investigation Branch works to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the collision.