Russian Captain Vladimir Motin Convicted of Manslaughter in Humber Ship Collision
Vladimir Motin, a 59-year-old Russian captain from St Petersburg, has been found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence following a fatal ship collision off the Yorkshire coast. The incident occurred on 10 March last year near the Humber estuary, where Motin's container ship, the Solong, crashed into the oil tanker Stena Immaculate, resulting in the death of a crew member.
Tragic Loss of Filipino Seaman Mark Angelo Pernia
The victim, Mark Angelo Pernia, was a 38-year-old Filipino man who left behind a five-year-old child and a pregnant wife expecting their second baby at the time of his death. Prosecuting barrister Tom Little KC described the case as centred on "the entirely avoidable death of a seaman", asserting that Pernia would still be alive if not for Motin's grossly negligent actions. Pernia's wife, residing in a remote area of the Philippines, plans to watch the sentencing proceedings virtually from a location with reliable internet access.
Jury Deliberation and Court Proceedings
After eight hours of deliberation, a jury at the Old Bailey returned a guilty verdict against Motin, who remained emotionless upon hearing the decision and was remanded into custody ahead of sentencing scheduled for Thursday. During the trial, Motin claimed he had spotted the Stena Immaculate and attempted to take manual control of the Solong, but his efforts failed, making the collision unavoidable. His defence counsel, James Leonard KC, admitted Motin was at fault but argued his inaction constituted a "human error", a "bad mistake", and an "error of judgment", rather than gross negligence.
Details of the Collision and Environmental Risks
The court heard that the Solong, measuring 130 metres in length and weighing 7,852 gross tonnes, was carrying alcoholic spirits and hazardous substances, including empty sodium cyanide containers. In contrast, the Stena Immaculate, at 183.2 metres long, was transporting over 220,000 barrels of JetA1 high-grade aviation fuel. Detective chief superintendent Craig Nicholson of Humberside police labelled the crash a "simple, senseless tragedy" and noted it was "a miracle that there weren't more fatalities or serious injuries". He highlighted the potential for a major environmental disaster, as the Solong burned for eight days post-collision, with crew members on deck at the impact moment, including one changing a light fitting up a mast.
Allegations of Negligence and Deception
Prosecutors alleged that Motin failed to slow down the Solong or alert his crew, despite the ship being visible on radar for at least 36 minutes before the crash. Additionally, he is accused of lying about events on the bridge following the incident. The jury was informed that the dangers of such a collision were both high and obvious, underscoring the severity of the negligence involved.
