A port official said he was told the North Sea collision produced "a massive fireball" and the cargo ship's owner said one crew member was missing.

LONDON (AP) — The captain of a cargo ship that collided with a U.S. tanker is a Russian national who remains in U.K. police custody, the vessel’s owner said Wednesday, as it emerged that the ship failed several safety checks last year.

A container ship hit a stationary U.S.-flagged oil tanker on Monday, forcing the crews to abandon ship. A search for a missing crew member ended Monday night.