The co-owners of the Stena Immaculate oil tanker, recently involved in a collision with the cargo ship Solong on March 10 in the North Sea, have spoken out about the bravery demonstrated by their crew. Following the accident, which resulted in an explosion and subsequent fires, the maritime operations company Crowley released photos of 19 crew members and expressed gratitude for their decisive actions.

In a heartfelt statement, Crowley remarked, "Our deepest gratitude and respect goes out to our 23 mariners from the Stena Immaculate for their exceptional bravery and quick action… Their decisive efforts and teamwork to execute critical fire and emergency duties helped to save lives, protect the integrity of the vessel and minimize the impact on the environment." The crew's quick thinking ensured that fire monitors were active, confining damage to only one of the 16 cargo holds.

Rescue operations were initiated promptly, resulting in the safe retrieval of 36 personnel from both vessels at Grimsby. Chief Coastguard Paddy O'Callaghan reported a continuing effort to address small plastic resin pellets, known as nurdles, which were released during the accident and have begun washing up along Norfolk beaches.

The shipping company Ernst Russ, which owns the Solong, has confirmed that while some containers held nurdles, no containers were lost overboard. It is believed that heat from firefighting caused some container openings to spill their contents. They are working closely with the coastguard to minimize any long-term environmental impact.

Salvage operations for both vessels are ongoing, with the fires on the Solong officially declared extinguished. Meanwhile, the RNLI praised the dedication of volunteer lifeboat crews who participated in the rescue effort, who braved challenging conditions at sea.

Tragically, one crew member from the Solong is missing and presumed deceased. The captain of the Solong, Vladimir Motin, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and will face court proceedings soon. Investigations by the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) are currently underway to determine the cause of the collision, as the maritime community eagerly anticipates further developments.