The Russian captain of a container ship which crashed right into a US oil tanker and killed a 38-year-old crew member has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter, police confirmed tonight.
5 Russians have been on board the Solong container ship when it allegedly rammed the Stena Immaculate – which was carrying provides for the US navy – off the English coast, triggering a fireplace on each ships.
Grasp of The Solong, Vladimir Motin, 59, of Primorsky, St Petersburg, Russia, will seem at Hull Magistrates’ Court docket on Saturday charged with gross negligence manslaughter, Humberside Police mentioned.
The Crown Prosecution Service mentioned that Filipino nationwide Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, died following the collision between the Solong and the Stena Immaculate off the east coast of Yorkshire.
An announcement from the pressure mentioned: ‘An investigation by Humberside Police supported by the Maritime and Coastguard Company (MCA) into the collision between a tanker and a cargo vessel within the North Sea, off the coast of East Yorkshire, has resulted in a person being charged.
‘The captain of the Solong vessel, Vladimir Motin, 59 years previous, of Primorsky, St Petersburg, Russia, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and been remanded in police custody to look at Hull Magistrates’ Court docket tomorrow.
‘On Monday, 10 March, Humberside Police acquired a report at round 11am {that a} collision had occurred between the 2 vessels, leading to one crew member being reported lacking.
‘Intensive searches have been carried out by HM Coastguard to find the lacking crew member, now presumed deceased.
‘The household are being supported by specialist skilled officers and our ideas stay with them at this troublesome time.’
The Russian captain of the Solong container ship which crashed right into a US oil tanker Stena Immaculate has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter
Smoke is seen billowing from the MV Solong cargo ship within the North Sea, off the Yorkshire coast earlier this week
Water might be seen flowing via the broken hull of the Immaculate on Tuesday
Information of the captain being charged comes because the crew member who’s presumed useless following the collision has been named as Filipino nationwide Mark Angelo Pernia.
Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service Particular Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, mentioned: ‘We’ve authorised Humberside Police to cost a Russian nationwide in relation to a collision involving two vessels within the North Sea off the east coast of England.
‘The Portuguese-registered cargo ship, the Solong, collided with the American-registered oil tanker, the Stena Immaculate, simply earlier than 10am on Monday, 10 March 2025.
‘Filipino nationwide Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, died.
‘Vladimir Motin, 59, from St Petersburg, Russia, who was the vessel’s captain, is because of be charged with one rely of gross negligence manslaughter.’
Earlier on Friday the pressure confirmed magistrates had granted an additional extension to the time detectives may maintain the captain ‘because of the complexities of the incident’.
He had been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter on Monday night, hours after the collision.
Ernst Ross, the corporate that owns the Solong, mentioned earlier this week that Motin had been ‘actively aiding with the investigations.’
All 5 Russians concerned within the North Sea drama are ‘alive’, in keeping with Russian sources.
The Stena Immaculate remains to be at anchor on the level the place the collision occurred, which is about 12 miles off the East Yorkshire coast, close to Withernsea.
In the meantime the Solong drifted south of this location, to some extent the place it may very well be seen off the Lincolnshire coast.
Additionally on Friday, chief coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan mentioned the vessels are ‘secure’ and salvors have boarded them each to proceed injury assessments.
He mentioned: ‘There at the moment are solely small periodic pockets of fireplace on the Solong which aren’t inflicting undue concern.
‘Specialist tugs with firefighting functionality stay at each vessels’ places.
‘Common aerial surveillance flights proceed to observe the vessels and make sure that there continues to be no trigger for concern from air pollution from both the Stena Immaculate or from the Solong.’
Mr O’Callaghan mentioned: ‘The UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) can also be aiding within the response, and continues to advise that any public well being threat on shore is deemed to be very low.
Pictured are the charred stays of cargo ship MV Solong was utterly destroyed by Monday’s hearth. The ship was captained by a Russian nationwide
‘The UKSHA will hold threat assessments below continuous evaluation as additional data turns into out there.’
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer mentioned on Thursday the scenario was ‘moderately contained’.
Pressed on requires a Cobra assembly to evaluate the potential environmental injury, he mentioned: ‘We’re completely monitoring this 24/7 and I’ve acquired groups doing that and assuring me of what is going on on.
‘In the mean time, the scenario within reason contained. And, clearly, we are going to do no matter is important.’
The CPS mentioned it ‘reminds all involved that felony proceedings in opposition to this defendant at the moment are energetic and that he has the suitable to a good trial.
‘This can be very necessary that there must be no reporting, commentary or sharing of knowledge on-line which may in any approach prejudice these proceedings.’
A complete of 36 crew members from the 2 vessels have been introduced safely ashore, with no main accidents.
The US-flagged 50,000-ton MV Stena Immaculate was engulfed by an enormous fireball after Solong ‘got here out the blue’ and allegedly ploughed into it.
Solong sliced via the hull of the tanker, inflicting hundreds of litres of jet gasoline to spill into the ocean and forcing sailors from each vessels to desert ship.
The Russian embassy in London earlier mentioned: ‘The embassy has been monitoring the scenario across the collision of two ships within the North Sea on March 10 from the very first minutes .
‘Consular workers are in shut contact with the British competent authorities.
‘Throughout this time, native authorities haven’t acquired any details about the presence of Russian residents on board these vessels, or about different Russians injured on account of this accident.’
The Russian embassy in London mentioned: ‘As of March 14, further data has emerged relating to the Russian residents from the crew of the Solong vessel, flying the Portuguese flag, which collided with the Stena Immaculate tanker flying the US flag within the North Sea on March 10.
‘In response to the ship proprietor, the Solong crew contains 5 residents of the Russian Federation.
‘Amongst them is the ship’s captain, who was detained by the competent authorities of the UK and is presently below investigation.
All crew members from amongst Russian residents are alive, they didn’t obtain accidents on account of the incident, and the sailors’ situation doesn’t trigger concern.
‘On the night of March 13, diplomats from the consular part of the Embassy held an in depth phone dialog with the captain of the vessel.
‘In response to him, he feels effectively.
‘The Russian citizen has been supplied with an interpreter and a lawyer, with whom our staff additionally keep fixed contact.
‘The Embassy is in shut contact with the British competent authorities, together with with the police station the place the ship’s captain is presently being held, in addition to with the spouse of our compatriot.’
Salvage firms boarded the 2 vessels on Thursday and have been finishing up preliminary injury assessments, the coastguard mentioned, including that small fires have been nonetheless being reported on the Solong’s prime deck.
Police mentioned in depth traces of inquiry have been persevering with however it was taking time given the vessels have been nonetheless at sea and there have been a lot of witnesses concerned.
A handful of the American crew of the Stena Immaculate spoke about what occurred however requested to not be recognized.
They have been so near the flames as they boarded the lifeboat that some suffered singed hair. Fortunately all survived with out severe damage. One member of the Solong crew is lacking presumed useless.
The captain of the cargo ship has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter after it smashed into an oil tanker (Pictured: Billowing smoke rising from the MV Solong cargo ship)
US-flagged tanker, MV Stena Immaculate, was hit whereas at anchor by the Portugal-flagged container ship, MV Solong, off the coast of Humber Estuary, Hull
One crewman mentioned: ‘Yesterday was a foul begin to the day, however it ended gloriously. Why? All 23 of us acquired off the ship with out anyone being in it.’ Including that he was ‘happy to be alive.’
Requested about his actions instantly after the tanker carrying a cargo of jet gasoline burst into flames, he mentioned: ‘I did have time to assume. I ran via the procedures. As a result of if I hadn’t had time to assume, we would not have survived.
‘We drilled, we skilled, we ready for the unprepared. We do emergency prep continuous. No matter outdoors uncontrollable forces.’
One other American crewman advised CBS information how the opposite ship ‘got here from out of the blue.’
He mentioned he was close to the part of the Stena Immaculate the place the Solong made its affect and that he had solely seconds to react when he heard shouts to brace earlier than affect.
Impulsively ‘an enormous ship got here from out of the blue,’ he mentioned.
The Solong continued to drive into the ship for about 10 minutes after preliminary affect, in keeping with witnesses.
