A UK court found the captain of the containership Solong guilty on 2 February of gross negligent manslaughter following the death of a seafarer after the vessel struck the anchored tanker Stena Immaculate. The case was put to the jury on Friday, and a verdict was returned after about eight hours of deliberations in a trial that began three weeks earlier.
Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson told the Press Association after the verdict that it was a “simple, senseless tragedy.” Prosecutors said the containership was otherwise operating normally when it hit the tanker at nearly 16 knots on 10 March 2025, arguing that the only failure was the captain, Vladimir Motin, 59, a Russian national.
Media reports said sentencing is expected on 5 February. UK reports have also noted the offence carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, with guidelines setting a range from one to more than 18 years depending on culpability. Reports suggested Motin could face up to seven years in prison.
The seafarer presumed dead was identified as Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, from the Philippines, who had been working near the bow and is believed to have died from the impact and the subsequent fire. His body was not recovered. The remaining 12 crew from Solong were rescued, along with the 23 aboard Stena Immaculate. Prosecutors said it was luck that more people were not injured or killed, citing that one crewmember on the tanker was up a mast changing a light when the impact occurred and others were close to the point of impact.
In court, prosecutors said Motin waited too long to respond despite the tanker being visible on radar. They argued he had more than 30 minutes to act but did not react until the vessels were about one nautical mile apart. Motin told the court he initially believed the tanker was moving slowly rather than at anchor.
Prosecutors also alleged Motin was alone on the bridge and had switched off a system that required a button to be pressed every 30 minutes or an inactivity alarm would sound. Motin testified he did not fall asleep or leave the bridge after taking the watch at 0800, and said visibility was good so a lookout was not required. The prosecution further contended he did not slow the ship or summon help, and did not sound an alarm when the risk became apparent or attempt a crash stop.
Motin said he suspected a steering gear malfunction after recently being warned of a similar issue on a sister ship and tried to turn off and reset the steering gear. He told the court that, when it became clear an impact could not be avoided, he sought to keep clear of the accommodation block to reduce the risk of additional casualties. The captain also admitted he later realised he had pressed the wrong control and had not switched off the autopilot. He said new stickers had been applied to the controls while he was on vacation and he found them confusing; prosecutors argued the mistake would have been immediately evident and should have been corrected.
After the allision, Solong burned for eight days and was a total loss before being sold for scrap. Stena Immaculate survived with one tank punctured and was later offloaded. Stena sold the vessel late last year, saying the buyer intended to repair it.
