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Ship owner: Jet fuel cargo on Stena Immaculate mostly intact after collision with UK ship

The majority of jet fuel onboard Stena Immaculate's cargo, which is US-flagged, was intact and did not leak, Stena Bulk, the vessel owner, said on Wednesday.

On Monday, the Portuguese flagged Solong container vessel crashed into a tanker transporting jet fuel to the U.S. Military. The British police arrested Solong’s captain a day later on suspicion of gross negligent manslaughter.

Stena Bulk Chief Executive Erik Hanell said, "There is no fire on the Stena Immaculate any more."

In the next 24 to 48 hours, we will have a clearer picture of the entire salvage operation.

Hannell stated that two of the vessel’s 18 fuel tanks leaked. This represents an estimated 10% volume.

He said: "I guess the total amount of jet fuel onboard is about 50,000 cubic metres, so that's probably about the maximum... hopefully less."

Hannell, a London-based mariner who had met the 23 American crewmembers of the vessel in the UK earlier, reported that the mariners are in good health.

He said, "They were shaken up, of course." (Reporting and editing by Gareth Jones, Bernadettebaum, and Jonathan Saul)

(source: Reuters)