A Russian sea captain failed to take any action to prevent his cargo vessel from slamming into a stationary oil tanker in the North Sea, leading to a fatal fire and the death of a crew member, a London court has heard.
'Gross Breach of Duty' Led to Seaman's Death
Prosecutor Tom Little KC told the Old Bailey that the death of 38-year-old Mark Angelo Pernia was 'entirely avoidable'. He stated that Vladimir Motin, the 59-year-old captain of the Solong, was on sole watch duty and had a 'constellation of information' warning him of the impending disaster but did 'absolutely nothing' to deviate his ship.
The collision occurred at approximately 9.47am on 10 March 2025, just over twelve hours after the Solong had departed Grangemouth in Scotland bound for Rotterdam. The court heard the US-registered tanker Stena Immaculate, which was anchored and had its engine shut down, was visible on the Solong's radar for about 36 minutes before impact.
Dramatic Footage Captures Moment of Impact
Jurors were shown dramatic CCTV footage of the moment the 130-metre Solong, travelling at over 15 knots, struck the side of the 183-metre Stena Immaculate. The impact caused a loud bang and ignited a massive inferno as aviation fuel from the tanker's cargo of 220,000 barrels of JetA1 fuel leaked out.
An American seaman on the tanker was heard exclaiming, 'Holy s**t, what just hit us?' In contrast, the bridge of the Solong remained silent for a full minute before a voice spoke in a foreign language. Mr Pernia, who was working at the front of the cargo ship, was killed in the collision and his body has never been recovered.
Cargo Included Hazardous Materials
The court was told the Solong, which had 14 crew members onboard, was carrying a cargo mainly of alcoholic spirits. It also held some hazardous substances, including empty but unclean sodium cyanide containers.
Prosecutor Little argued that Motin, from St Petersburg, owed a duty of care to his crew and that his 'grossly negligent conduct' directly caused Mr Pernia's death. 'The risk of death was serious and obvious and negligence was so bad that it was gross,' he told the jury.
Vladimir Motin denies a single charge of manslaughter. The trial continues.
