FILIPINO SEAFARER MISSING AFTER OIL TANKER-CONTAINER SHIP COLLISION IN NORTH SEA – DMW

A FILIPINO seafarer went missing following a collision between a chemical tanker and a container ship off the northeast coast of England, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) on Thursday confirmed.

The DMW said that the Filipino crew member was onboard MV Solong that collided with Oil Tanker Stena Immaculate at the North Sea on  Monday, March 10, 2025.

The Pinoy crew member was last seen at the bow of the vessel, the area of the ship that caught on fire after the massive explosion triggered by the collision.  

The DMW said eight other Filipino seafarers on board MV Solong were safely rescued. They are  presently accommodated in a hotel in Grimsby, London, as they await their repatriation.

UK authorities have launched an official investigation into the cause of the incident, in coordination with the flag states of the vessels.

According to the DMW, the Licensed Manning Agency (LMA) has personally informed the family of the missing seafarer and committed to providing them with daily updates.  

Monday’s collision triggered huge fires aboard the two ships.

An investigation is ongoing to determine how the Portuguese-flagged Solong cargo ship collided into the US-flagged Stena Immaculate, which was anchored about 13 miles (20 kilometers) off the coast of the northeastern UK port of Hull.

The captain of the cargo ship owned by German company Ernst Russ was arrested by the UK authorities on suspicion of manslaughter after the crash left one crew member missing and was presumed dead.