Man arrested in connection with oil tanker that collided with cargo ship and burst into flames

A 59-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the oil tanker that collided with a cargo ship in the North Sea on Monday.

Shockwaves were sent across the world yesterday after a 'massive fire ball' formed due to the ship and the tanker crashing around 10 miles off the coast of England.

HM Coastguard confirmed the incident took place near the Humber Estuary, while crews raised the alarm at around 9.48am local time.

The crash reportedly involved the US-flagged Stena Immaculate and the MV Solong from Portugal, with the former traveling from Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands when it allegedly careered into the stationary oil tanker.

A man has been arrested in connection with the collision (Lee Whitaker/Getty Images)

The oil tanker was believed to have been carrying Jet A1 fuel, which led to concerns for marine ecosystems, harming birds, sea life and coastal habitats.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says on its website that cleanups can 'never remove 100 percent' of oil spilled in the water.

Dave O’Hara, senior site manager at RSPB Bempton Cliffs, commented: "We are extremely concerned about the potential for a leak from the tanker as oil pollution can seriously damage habitats and be lethal to seabirds."

Solong, one of the ships, is still alight after it collided with the oil tanker - while one member of its crew remains unaccounted for.

UK minister Mike Kane stated in the House of Commons this individual is suspected to have died.

Humberside Police have since confirmed a man aged 59 has been detained on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the collision.

The force added that a criminal investigation into the cause of the crash has begun and they'll hope to provide the public with answers soon.

A criminal investigation into the incident is ongoing (Lee Whitaker/Getty Images)

Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson said in a statement: "Extensive work has already been carried out, and we are working closely with our partners to understand what happened, and to provide support to all of those affected.

"The man arrested remains in custody at this time whilst enquiries are under way, and we continue speaking with all those involved to establish the full circumstances of the incident."

Amid continued worries about the environmental impact the collision continues to do, the UK Coastguard said it is looking at what its counter-pollution response may be in the wake of the incident.

A UK Coastguard spokesperson said: "The incident remains ongoing and an assessment of the likely counter pollution response required is being enacted."