A Russian ship captain has been convicted of manslaughter following a catastrophic collision between his container vessel and an oil tanker off the Yorkshire coast, which resulted in the death of a Filipino crew member.
Fatal Collision Near the Humber Estuary
Vladimir Motin, a 59-year-old from St Petersburg, was on sole watch when his ship, the 130-metre long Solong, crashed into the Stena Immaculate oil tanker near the Humber estuary on 10 March last year. The impact killed Mark Angelo Pernia, a 38-year-old Filipino man who was working on the tanker at the time.
Jury Delivers Guilty Verdict After Eight Hours
A jury at the Old Bailey deliberated for eight hours before returning a guilty verdict for manslaughter by gross negligence against Motin. The captain appeared emotionless as he heard the verdict and was remanded into custody ahead of sentencing on Thursday.
Prosecuting barrister Tom Little KC described the trial as concerning "the entirely avoidable death of a seaman" and stated that Pernia "would still be alive if it was not for the grossly negligent behaviour of the defendant."
Human Cost of the Tragedy
The court heard that Pernia, who had a five-year-old child, was expecting a second child with his wife, who was about seven months pregnant when her husband was killed. Pernia's wife, who lives in a remote area of the Philippines, plans to travel to a location with good internet access to watch the sentencing proceedings virtually.
Defence Claims Human Error
During his defence, Motin claimed that he had spotted the ship and realised the danger, but that his attempts to take manual control of his own vessel failed, making the crash unavoidable. Representing Motin, James Leonard KC acknowledged the captain was at fault but denied his actions amounted to gross negligence, instead describing his lack of action as a "human error", a "bad mistake" and an "error of judgment."
Potential for Greater Catastrophe
Detective chief superintendent Craig Nicholson of Humberside police described the crash as a "simple, senseless tragedy" and said it was "a miracle that there weren't more fatalities or serious injuries." He added that the incident could have resulted in a huge environmental catastrophe, noting that the Solong burned for eight days after the collision.
Nicholson revealed that there were people on the deck of the Stena Immaculate at the point of impact, with one crew member up a mast changing a light fitting at the time.
Details of the Vessels Involved
The court heard that the Solong weighed 7,852 gross tonnes and was carrying mainly alcoholic spirits and some hazardous substances, including empty but unclean sodium cyanide containers. The Stena Immaculate, measuring 183.2 metres long, was carrying more than 220,000 barrels of JetA1 high-grade aviation fuel. The jury was informed that the dangers of a crash were high and obvious given the cargoes involved.
Allegations of Negligence and Deception
Motin was alleged to have failed to slow down his ship and did not summon or alert crew, despite the Solong being visible on the ship's radar for at least 36 minutes before the collision. He is also alleged to have lied about the events on the bridge after the crash occurred.
This case highlights significant concerns about maritime safety protocols and the grave consequences of negligence in the shipping industry, particularly in busy waterways like the Humber estuary.
