Sodium cyanide is a compound that is highly toxic and potentially extremely dangerous. It usually takes the form of a white powder – the Solong was carrying 15 containers of the toxic compound when it smashed headlong into Stena Immaculate, which was laden with 18,000 tons of jet fuel, off the coast of Yorkshire on 10th March. In potential environmental terms, should either or both vessels spill all of their cargo, Withernsea will rank among the worst environmental disasters in British history.