Captain of container ship Solong which crashed into US oil tanker charged with gross negligence manslaughter

By Flaminia Luck

Vladimir Motin, 59, the Russian captain of container ship Solong which crashed into a US oil tanker in the North Sea, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter, Humberside Police said.

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The Portuguese-flagged Solong and US-registered tanker Stena Immaculate crashed off the East Yorkshire coast on Monday morning.

Motin, 59, of Primorsky, St Petersburg, Russia, will appear at Hull Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

The Crown Prosecution said that Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, died following the collision between Mr Motin's vessel, the Solong, and the Stena Immaculate off the east coast of Yorkshire.

Thirty-six people from both vessels made it ashore.

A crew member of the Solong is missing and presumed dead.

A statement from the force said: "An investigation by Humberside Police supported by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) into the collision between a tanker and a cargo vessel in the North Sea, off the coast of East Yorkshire, has resulted in a man being charged.

"The captain of the Solong vessel, Vladimir Motin, 59 years old, of Primorsky, St Petersburg, Russia, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and been remanded in police custody to appear at Hull Magistrates' Court tomorrow.

"On Monday, 10 March, Humberside Police received a report at around 11am that a collision had occurred between the two vessels, resulting in one crew member being reported missing.

"Extensive searches were carried out by HM Coastguard to locate the missing crew member, now presumed deceased. The family are being supported by specialist trained officers and our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time."