A Russian ship captain has been confronted in court over the "serious and obvious" risk of death that occurred when his container vessel collided with an anchored American oil tanker, with both ships carrying highly flammable cargoes.
Tragic collision near the Humber Estuary
The maritime incident occurred last March near the Humber Estuary when the container ship Solong, under the command of Russian national Vladimir Motin, 59, crashed into the stationary US tanker Stena Immaculate. The collision resulted in the death of crew member Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, who was positioned on the bow of the Solong at the time of impact.
Courtroom confrontation at the Old Bailey
During cross-examination at the Old Bailey on Tuesday, prosecutor Tom Little KC challenged Captain Motin about whether he had considered the foreseeable dangers of colliding with a vessel potentially carrying flammable materials. When questioned about this, Mr Motin responded with the pointed question: "Yeah, OK. I understand, but what you want from me?"
The captain had previously stated that he possessed no knowledge regarding the contents aboard the American tanker prior to the collision taking place.
Dangerous cargoes aboard both vessels
The court heard that the Stena Immaculate, with its crew of 23 personnel, was transporting more than 220,000 barrels of JetA1 high-grade aviation fuel from Greece to the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, the Solong, manned by a 14-strong crew, was carrying primarily alcoholic spirits along with some hazardous substances, creating a potentially catastrophic combination of flammable materials.
Prosecution's allegations of failure
Mr Little presented a series of alleged failures by Captain Motin during the proceedings. The prosecutor emphasised that the collision occurred at a speed of 16 knots, creating metal-on-metal contact that inevitably generated sparks. When challenged about this dangerous scenario, the defendant remarked that "spark will always be created" during such incidents.
The prosecution suggested that the nature of this collision was entirely foreseeable and presented a "serious and obvious risk of death" to those aboard both vessels. Captain Motin responded that he couldn't "make any assumption, yes or no" regarding this assessment.
Critical safety failures alleged
During the intense courtroom exchange, the prosecutor outlined multiple alleged safety failures by the captain. These included claims that Mr Motin did not maintain a proper lookout, failed to utilise all available means to determine collision risks, neglected to use radar equipment appropriately, and did not allow sufficient time to either prevent the crash or reduce speed.
Mr Little further suggested that had Captain Motin sounded the alarm promptly, Mark Pernia might have been able to evacuate from the bow area and potentially survive the incident. The prosecutor rejected the defendant's assertion that he was unaware Mr Pernia was positioned on the bow, noting that the crew member had been on duty and working in that specific area.
Technical explanation and admission
When questioned about whether he could have steered away to avoid the collision entirely, Captain Motin offered a technical explanation for what occurred. He stated that he had made a "mistake" when attempting to switch to manual control of the vessel and didn't realise that the autopilot system remained engaged at the time.
In a significant moment during the cross-examination, the prosecutor concluded by stating that without the collision occurring, nobody would have died - a point with which Captain Motin ultimately agreed.
Trial continues with manslaughter denial
Captain Vladimir Motin has formally denied the charge of manslaughter in relation to the fatal maritime incident. The Old Bailey trial has been adjourned until Wednesday as legal proceedings continue to examine the circumstances surrounding this tragic collision near the Humber Estuary that claimed one life and endangered numerous others aboard both vessels.
