LONDON (AP) — British authorities have charged the Russian captain of a cargo vessel following a fatal collision with a U.S. tanker in the North Sea.
Vladimir Motin, who was in command of the Portugal-flagged cargo ship Solong, is facing charges of gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the presumed death of a crew member. Humberside Police confirmed that Motin, 59, was arrested in northeast England on Tuesday, a day after the crash, and will appear in Hull Magistrates’ Court on Saturday.
Authorities have identified the missing crew member as 38-year-old Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, who is now presumed dead following extensive search efforts. His family is receiving support from specially trained officers.
The Solong collided with the MV Stena Immaculate, a stationary tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military, approximately 10 miles (16 kilometers) off the English coast. The incident prompted an international investigation involving the U.S. and Portugal, the nations where the vessels are registered.
Frank Ferguson, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime and counterterrorism division, confirmed that prosecutors had authorized charges against Motin. However, it remains unclear where he is being held or whether he has secured legal representation.
The shipping company Ernst Russ, which owns the Solong, has stated that the vessel’s crew consisted of both Russian and Filipino nationals. Meanwhile, U.K. authorities have indicated that there is no evidence linking the collision to national security concerns.
The U.K. Marine Accident Investigation Branch is also examining the circumstances of the crash, as the Solong was en route from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, Netherlands, when it struck the anchored Stena Immaculate.
Previous port inspection records reveal that the Solong failed steering-related safety checks in Dublin, Ireland, in July. Inspectors reported unreadable emergency steering communications and compass readings, along with 10 other deficiencies, including faulty alarms, poorly maintained survival craft, and fire doors that did not meet regulations. Another inspection in Scotland in October identified two additional deficiencies, though the ship was not detained on either occasion.
Investigators continue to assess what led to the fatal collision as legal proceedings against Motin move forward.
