Vladimir Motin, captain of the Solong, told a London court he tried to disengage autopilot and manually steer away before his cargo ship struck the anchored tanker Stena Immaculate in the North Sea. Motin faces a gross negligence manslaughter charge after a crewman was lost at sea and a major fire erupted. Court evidence included bridge audio and video reconstructions showing little bridge activity before impact, and footage capturing the rapid escalation of fire and alarms. The collision caused a two‑day blaze, a large rescue operation, and significant fuel and plastic pollution.
Captain Says He Tried to Steer Away Before North Sea Crash, Court Hears
The collision ignited a two-day fire and triggered a massive offshore rescue operation (Paul ELLIS)(Paul ELLIS/AFP/AFP)
The captain of the cargo vessel Solong told London's Old Bailey that he attempted to disengage autopilot and steer the ship away before colliding with the anchored oil tanker Stena Immaculate in the North Sea, the court heard on Wednesday.
Defence: Attempt To Avoid Collision
Vladimir Motin, 59, from Saint Petersburg, told his defence team he first sighted the anchored Stena Immaculate about three nautical miles away while the Solong was on autopilot. Defence counsel James Leonard said Motin tried to take the Portuguese‑flagged Solong off autopilot and steer manually to avoid the tanker, which had been chartered by the US military, but that the manoeuvre "was not successful and the Solong did not change course at all." Leonard told the jury that had Motin altered course when the vessels were about one nautical mile apart, a collision would likely have been avoided.
Prosecution: Failure To Act
The prosecution disputes Motin's account and has charged him with one count of gross negligence manslaughter after Filipino crew member Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, was lost at sea when the ships collided and a major fire followed off England's east coast in March. Prosecutor Tom Little told the court the captain "could, and should, have acted differently" when the Solong was on an apparent collision course.
Audio, Video And Eyewitness Evidence
The jury heard audio recordings from the Solong's bridge and viewed a visual reconstruction of the ship's trajectory. An hour before the impact, voices discussing cigarette prices and a Russian folk song were audible; as the Solong drew nearer to the tanker, the bridge fell silent, with only a cough recorded less than a mile from the collision.
CCTV and combined audio from both vessels show the moment of impact. Onboard the Stena Immaculate, alarms and sea horns sounded immediately; a crew member shouted, "This is not a drill. This is not a drill. Fire, fire, fire." Phone footage from Joesen Mariposila, third officer on the Solong, shows flames and heavy smoke while he is recorded repeating, "Lord help us."
Rescue, Fire And Environmental Impact
The collision ignited a blaze that burned for two days and prompted a large offshore rescue operation. Motin's exchange with the UK coastguard—played in court—confirmed a fire and that there was dangerous cargo aboard. At 9:58 a.m., nine minutes after the collision, he is heard saying "one man is still missing" and urging, "go, go, go, abandon ship."
The incident led to significant pollution: thousands of barrels of jet fuel spilled from the Stena Immaculate and approximately 16 tonnes of plastic pellets were lost from the Solong.
Case Status: The trial is ongoing at the Old Bailey. The court will consider bridge recordings, visual reconstructions and witness testimony in deciding whether Motin's actions amount to gross negligence.
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