Russian captain of North Sea crash ship charged over death of crew member

The Russian captain of the container ship which crashed into a US oil tanker in the North Sea has been charged over the death of a crew member.

The Solong’s master Vladimir Motin, 59, of Primorsky, St Petersburg, in Russia, will appear at Hull Magistrates’ Court on Saturday charged with gross negligence manslaughter, Humberside Police said.

The Crown Prosecution Service said that Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, died following the collision between Motin’s vessel, the Solong, and the Stena Immaculate off the east coast of Yorkshire.

Thirty-six people from both vessels made it ashore.

A statement from the force said: “An investigation by Humberside Police supported by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) into the collision between a tanker and a cargo vessel in the North Sea, off the coast of East Yorkshire, has resulted in a man being charged.”

Officers received reports at 11am on Monday that two vessels had collided and one crew member was missing.

Humberside Police said: “Extensive searches were carried out by HM Coastguard to locate the missing crew member, now presumed deceased.

“The family are being supported by specialist trained officers and our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time.”

Earlier on Friday the force confirmed magistrates had granted a further extension to the time detectives could hold the captain “due to the complexities of the incident”.

He had been arrested on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter on Monday evening, hours after the collision.

The Stena Immaculate is still at anchor at the point where the collision happened, which is about 12 miles off the East Yorkshire coast, near Withernsea.

The Solong drifted south of this location, to a point where it could be seen off the Lincolnshire coast.

Also on Friday, chief coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan said the vessels are “stable” and salvors have boarded them both to continue damage assessments.

He said: “There are now only small periodic pockets of fire on the Solong which are not causing undue concern.

“Specialist tugs with firefighting capability remain at both vessels’ locations.

“Regular aerial surveillance flights continue to monitor the vessels and confirm that there continues to be no cause for concern from pollution from either the Stena Immaculate or from the Solong.”

Mr O’Callaghan said: “The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is also assisting in the response, and continues to advise that any public health risk on shore is deemed to be very low.

“The UKSHA will keep risk assessments under continual review as further information becomes available.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Thursday the situation was “reasonably contained”.

Pressed on calls for a Cobra meeting to assess the potential environmental damage, he said: “We are absolutely monitoring this 24/7 and I’ve got teams doing that and assuring me of what’s going on.

“At the moment, the situation is reasonably contained. And, obviously, we will do whatever is necessary.”

The CPS said it “reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are now active and that he has the right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”