LONDON, March 17, (V7N) – A cargo ship collided with an anchored tanker in the North Sea, sparking massive fires and leading to the loss of thousands of barrels of jet fuel, officials confirmed Sunday.

The March 10 incident occurred 20 kilometres (13 miles) off Hull, England, when the Portuguese-flagged Solong crashed into the US-flagged Stena Immaculate, a military-chartered tanker carrying 220,000 barrels of aviation fuel. The collision resulted in 17,515 barrels of fuel lost, though no major pollution has been detected.

The fires raged for days, requiring a high-seas firefighting operation before being fully extinguished. The crew of the Stena Immaculate took heroic measures before abandoning ship. One crew member from the Solong, identified as 38-year-old Filipino Mark Angelo Pernia, is presumed dead.

Authorities are investigating why the Solong altered course at 0130 GMT, causing the crash eight hours later. While the British government ruled out foul play, the Solong’s Russian captain has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter. Estimated insured losses range between $100 million and $300 million.

With investigations ongoing, the shipping industry and environmental groups remain on high alert for potential long-term consequences of the accident.

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