The trial of a cargo ship captain accused of causing a fatal collision with a U.S. oil tanker in the North Sea has begun in London. Prosecutors say the crash, which left one crew member missing and presumed dead, could have been avoided.

Vladimir Motin, a 59-year-old Russian national, was captain of the Portuguese-flagged container ship Solong when it collided with the anchored tanker Stena Immaculate off the East Yorkshire coast on March 10, 2025.

The collision caused a fire on both vessels and led to the disappearance of Solong crew member Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, a Filipino national.

Motin has pleaded not guilty to one count of gross negligence manslaughter. The case is being heard at London’s Old Bailey.

Prosecutors told the court that Motin was alone on watch on the bridge at the time of the collision and failed to take action despite having clear information showing the ships were on a collision course.

The court heard that the risk of collision was visible both on navigational equipment and from the bridge for more than 30 minutes before impact.

According to the prosecution, the Solong was travelling at about 18 miles per hour when it struck the tanker. The Stena Immaculate was anchored while waiting for a berth near the Humber Estuary.

It was alleged that Motin did not change course, reduce speed, or warn either his own crew or the tanker’s crew before the collision.

The Solong had been sailing south from the Scottish port of Grangemouth to Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The vessel was carrying alcohol and dangerous goods, including empty but unclean sodium cyanide containers.

The Stena Immaculate was carrying just over 220,000 barrels of aviation fuel.

The court heard that the impact caused a fire which spread across both ships. Jurors were shown video footage of flames and thick smoke rising after the collision.

Video Credits: Associated Press/YouTube

Prosecutors also said the Solong’s bridge alarm system, which is meant to ensure someone is alert on watch, had been switched off and was not operating at the time.

After coming ashore at Grimsby Dock, Motin told police that he had seen the tanker and tried to switch the ship to manual steering, but said the system did not respond and that he panicked. Prosecutors said there was no evidence to support a steering failure.

The court was also told that Motin sent messages to his wife after the incident, describing the collision as a disaster and saying he would be found guilty. In a later police interview, he said he meant he would be found guilty under maritime navigation rules.

Prosecutors said Motin owed a duty of care to his crew and argued that Pernia would still be alive if proper action had been taken. Pernia’s body has not been recovered and he is presumed dead.

Motin has denied deliberately causing the collision.

The trial at the Old Bailey is continuing and is expected to conclude next month.

References: BBC, Reuters