The captain of the container ship Solong, involved in a deadly collision with the tanker Stena Immaculate in the North Sea, has pleaded not guilty to gross negligence manslaughter in the death of a crew member.
Vladimir Motin, 59, the Russian master of the Portuguese-flagged Solong, appeared via video link from HMP Hull during a hearing at London’s Old Bailey. He denied the charge related to the 10 March incident, which claimed the life of 38-year-old Filipino seafarer Mark Angelo Pernia.
The collision, which occurred 10.2 nautical miles off the Yorkshire coast, triggered an explosion and a major fire on both vessels. Pernia, who was working on the Solong‘s forward deck, died in the blast. The Stena Immaculate, carrying aviation fuel, had been anchored for approximately 15 hours before the Solong, traveling at around 15 knots, struck its port side.
Despite the severity of the incident, the remaining 36 crew members from both ships were safely rescued. The Solong, a 140-metre vessel, was transporting 157 containers at the time, while the 183-metre Stena Immaculate was laden with jet fuel
Motin has been remanded in custody pending trial, set to begin on 12 January 2026. A case management hearing is scheduled for 10 September.
Investigations into the cause of the collision are ongoing.
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