Court hears how sustained inaction led to a fatal North Sea collision and explosion
A cargo ship captain has been convicted of gross negligence manslaughter following a fatal collision in the North Sea that caused an explosion and claimed the life of a crew member.
Vladimir Motin, 59, was found guilty at the Old Bailey after a trial heard that he failed to take any action to prevent a crash between two vessels in March 2025. The prosecution said his sustained inaction amounted to “exceptionally bad” negligence and directly led to a wholly avoidable death.
The case arose from a collision involving the Portuguese-registered cargo ship Solong and the stationary fuel tanker Stena Immaculate in the Humber estuary. The Solong had been travelling from Scotland towards Rotterdam when it struck the anchored tanker just after 9.45 am on 10 March 2025. The impact triggered a fire that engulfed both vessels.
Thirty-eight-year-old Mark Pernia, a Filipino national and crew member aboard the Solong, died as a result of the collision. His body has never been recovered.
The Crown Prosecution Service told the court that Motin, an experienced vessel master who had captained the Solong for 15 years, was solely responsible for navigation at the time of the crash. Despite clear visibility, working radar systems and multiple warnings, he failed to alter course, reduce speed or raise any alarms.
Jurors were shown data from the ship’s Voyage Data Recorder, often referred to as the “black box”, alongside CCTV footage and expert testimony. The evidence demonstrated that the Solong was on a direct collision course for more than 30 minutes before impact and was visible to the human eye for at least 12 minutes. No course or speed adjustments were made.
Prosecutors also established that all navigational equipment was fully operational and that Motin’s claim of rudder failure was unfounded. The court heard that he had disabled the Bridge Navigational Watch Alarm System, leaving himself as the sole lookout, contrary to standard safety procedures.
WhatsApp messages exchanged with his wife were presented to the jury and were said to undermine his credibility. The messages suggested he anticipated being found guilty and discussed avoiding blame.
Michael Gregory, Senior Specialist Crown Prosecutor at the CPS, said Mark Pernia’s death was tragic and entirely avoidable. He said Motin’s conduct represented a gross breach of duty and that it was “extremely fortunate” no further lives were lost.
Malcolm McHaffie, Head of the CPS Special Crime Division, said the case underscored the seriousness of a captain’s duty of care at sea and the potentially catastrophic consequences when that duty is breached.