The captain of the cargo vessel Solong has been convicted of gross negligence manslaughter following a collision with a tanker in the North Sea. The incident occurred on 10 March 2025, involving the US tanker Stena Immaculate near the coast of East Yorkshire. Tragically, Mark Angelo Pernia, a 38-year-old crew member aboard the Solong, remains missing and is presumed dead.

During the trial held at the Old Bailey in London, evidence revealed that Vladimir Motin, the sole watchkeeper on the Solong at the time of the accident, failed to maintain an adequate lookout. Additionally, the prosecution argued that Motin did not employ all available methods to assess the risk of collision and neglected to allow sufficient time to take evasive measures. Motin, who is 59 years old and from St Petersburg, Russia, now awaits sentencing.

The jury delivered a unanimous guilty verdict shortly before 3 pm GMT on Monday. Throughout the proceedings, Motin’s defence team acknowledged his responsibility for the collision but contended that his conduct did not reach the threshold of gross negligence manslaughter. Despite this, the court found the evidence supporting the more serious charge compelling.

Motin’s conviction marks a significant outcome in this maritime case, highlighting the importance of vigilant watchkeeping and risk assessment to prevent such disasters at sea. Further details about his sentence will be disclosed at a later date

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