A Russian ship captain has been jailed for manslaughter by gross negligence over a catastrophic North Sea collision that killed a crewman and sparked an eight-day blaze visible along the Yorkshire coast.
Vladimir Motin, 59, was convicted at the Old Bailey for his role in the death of Filipino seafarer Mark Angelo Pernia, whose body was never recovered after the crash in March 2025.
Sentencing Motin to six years in prison, Justice Andrew Baker said he was “a serious accident waiting to happen”, ruling that Pernia’s death was wholly avoidable.
The judge rejected Motin’s defence as implausible, finding that he showed blatant disregard for safety by failing to keep a proper lookout and by switching off a key bridge alarm system. Motin will be eligible for parole after serving four years.
The court heard that Motin’s container ship, Solong, struck the anchored US-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate at nearly 16 knots, rupturing a cargo tank carrying aviation fuel and igniting a huge fireball. Pernia, 38, was working on Solong’s bow at the time and died instantly, leaving behind a young child and a wife who was pregnant with their second. His widow told the court that no sentence could ease the pain suffered by her family.
Prosecutors said the tanker had been clearly visible on radar for more than half an hour before impact, yet Motin, the sole watchkeeper, took no action to slow down, alter course or call for assistance. CCTV footage captured the stunned reaction of the tanker’s crew, while Solong’s bridge remained silent for a full minute after the collision. Motin later admitted to his wife that he would be “guilty”.
Although all other crew members were rescued and widespread pollution was avoided, detectives described the incident as a senseless tragedy and a near-miss for mass casualties.
Investigations into safety practices and fatigue at sea are continuing, while civil claims linked to the disaster are already making their way through the High Court.