Sea captain found guilty of killing crew member in North Sea crash with US oil tanker

A Russian ship captain has been found guilty of a fatal North Sea crash.

Russian national Vladimir Motin, 59, has been found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter after his container vessel, the Solong, collided with the anchored US oil tanker the Stena Immaculate near the Humber Estuary last March.

Both vessels were laden with flammable goods.

Crew member Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, who was on the bow of the Portuguese-flagged Solong, was killed in the collision.

His body has never been found.

Captain Vladimir Motin. Pic: CPS/PA
Image: Captain Vladimir Motin. Pic: CPS/PA

Motin, from St Petersburg, had been on sole watch duty.

During his trial at the Old Bailey, he told jurors he made a "mistake" and pressed the wrong button when he tried to take the Solong out of autopilot, and efforts to restart the steering gear had no effect.

More on North Sea Ship Crash

But prosecutor Tom Little told jurors at ‍the start of the trial last month that Motin did "absolutely nothing" to prevent the collision.

He said the Solong had been on a collision course with the Stena Immaculate for ‌more than 30 minutes before ⁠the deadly crash.

Mark Pernia. Pic: CPS
Image: Mark Pernia. Pic: CPS

The Solong, with a 14-strong crew, was carrying mainly alcoholic spirits and some hazardous substances.

The Stena Immaculate, with a crew of 23, was transporting more than 220,000 barrels of JetA1 high-grade aviation fuel from Greece to the UK.

The MV Stena Immaculate oil tanker at anchor in the Humber Estuary after the collision. Pic: Danny Lawson/PA
Image: The MV Stena Immaculate oil tanker at anchor in the Humber Estuary after the collision. Pic: Danny Lawson/PA
Tug boats shadow the Solong container ship as it drifts in the Humber Estuary. Pic: Danny Lawson/PA
Image: Tug boats shadow the Solong container ship as it drifts in the Humber Estuary. Pic: Danny Lawson/PA

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Информация на этой странице взята из источника: https://news.sky.com/story/solong-ship-captain-found-guilty-over-fatal-north-sea-crash-with-us-oil-tanker-13500946