The captain of a cargo ship that collided with a tanker in the North Sea has been found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter following the death of a crew member.
Vladimir Motin, 59, was in charge of the Portuguese-flagged Solong when it struck the US tanker Stena Immaculate off the East Yorkshire coast on 10 March 2025.
The collision left Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, missing and presumed dead. He had been working on the bow of the ship at the time of the crash.
Motin was on sole watch duty when the incident happened near the Humber Estuary. A trial at the Old Bailey heard that he failed to keep a proper lookout and did not take adequate steps to assess the risk of collision or carry out evasive action.
Prosecutors said the tanker had been visible on radar for more than half an hour before impact, yet Motin did not slow down, change course, alert other crew members, or attempt an emergency stop.
The court was told that both vessels were carrying highly flammable cargo, including aviation fuel and hazardous materials, raising the risk of a major environmental disaster. Following the collision, a fire broke out and the cargo ship burned for eight days.
Dramatic footage shown to jurors captured the moment the vessels were engulfed in flames. Crew members on the tanker could be heard raising the alarm and calling for emergency assistance.
After abandoning ship, Motin and the remaining crew were taken ashore in Grimsby. Evidence presented in court showed that he later sent a message to his wife stating that he would be “guilty”.
In his defence, Motin denied falling asleep or leaving his post. He claimed he believed the tanker was moving unpredictably and said he pressed the wrong control while attempting to take manual control from autopilot. He also told jurors he feared that an emergency stop could endanger the tanker’s crew.
Prosecutors rejected this account, arguing that no mechanical faults were found and that Motin had given inconsistent versions of events. They also highlighted that he had switched off a safety alert system designed to ensure officers remained alert on the bridge.
The jury deliberated for eight hours before returning a unanimous guilty verdict.
Motin, who is originally from St Petersburg, will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a possible lengthy prison term.
Police said the case was a “simple and senseless tragedy” and warned that the collision could easily have resulted in far greater loss of life.