Sea captain convicted over fatal North Sea collision with US oil tanker

Crew member killed in blaze after ships crash off Humber

A Russian ship captain is guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence. The charge is due to a collision in the North Sea. This collision killed a crew member and set two vessels ablaze.

Vladimir Motin, 59, was convicted. His container ship, the MV Solong, struck the US oil tanker Stena Immaculate. This happened while it was anchored near the Humber Estuary in March last year.

Both ships were carrying flammable cargo and were quickly engulfed in fire.

Victim never met his newborn child

Filipino crew member Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, was on the bow of the Solong when the collision occurred. His body has never been recovered.

He is survived by his wife and two young children. His second child was born two months after his death.

What the court heard

Motin had been alone on watch on the bridge at the time of the crash. He told the court he made a mistake. He tried to take the ship off autopilot. He also said the steering gear failed.

Prosecutors rejected that account. They told jurors that all navigation systems were functioning correctly. There was no mechanical fault with the rudder.

They said Motin disabled the Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System. He left himself as the only lookout, which was in breach of safety rules.

The ship’s “black box” provided data. It showed there were no changes in course or speed as the vessels closed in on each other. The court was informed the two ships had been on a collision path for over 30 minutes before impact. The tanker would have been visible to the naked eye for at least 12 minutes.

Prosecutors said Motin failed to call for help, warn the other vessel or attempt an emergency stop.

Claims dismissed as “fiction”

Motin denied falling asleep or leaving his post. He argued that attempting a crash stop would have endangered those aboard the tanker.

The prosecution said his explanation was false.

One lawyer told the court:
“The reality is that he did nothing to avoid the collision. There were no mechanical or electronic problems. The only thing not working that day was the man in charge.”

Messages sent by Motin after the crash were also shown to the jury. He told his wife he expected to be found guilty. She urged him to think of an alibi and to say he had not seen the other ship.

When arrested days later, he said:
“I didn’t do it intentionally, the killing.”

Sentencing to follow

Motin showed little reaction as the verdict was delivered. He has been remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced later this week.

Fire described as “entirely avoidable”

A spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service said the death was “tragic and completely avoidable”.

They added that Motin had captained the Solong for 15 years. He failed to act despite clear warnings. His negligence fell far below the standard expected of an experienced master.

“It is extremely fortunate that no other lives were lost,” the spokesperson said.

Cargo details

The Solong had been sailing from Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam carrying mainly alcoholic spirits and some hazardous materials.

The Stena Immaculate was transporting more than 220,000 barrels of aviation fuel from Greece to the UK.

Audio was recorded at the moment of impact on the tanker. Dramatic cries captured crew members shouting, “This is no drill… fire, fire, fire – we have had a collision.”

Ongoing impact

Investigators say the collision remains one of the most serious maritime accidents in UK waters in recent years. The case has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of bridge safety procedures and watchkeeping rules on commercial vessels.