The captain of the cargo vessel Solong has pleaded not guilty to a charge of gross negligence manslaughter following a collision with the oil tanker Stena Immaculate in the North Sea.
The incident occurred on 10 March 2025, approximately 13 miles off the East Yorkshire coast, near the busy maritime corridor between Hull and Grimsby. The Solong, sailing under the Portuguese flag, was en route from Grangemouth, Scotland to Rotterdam, Netherlands when it collided with the US-flagged Stena Immaculate.
Vladimir Motin, 59, from Primorsky in St Petersburg, Russia, appeared via video link at London's Central Criminal Court (Old Bailey), where he confirmed his identity with the assistance of a Russian interpreter. He denied the charge of gross negligence manslaughter related to the disappearance and presumed death of 38-year-old Filipino crew member Mark Angelo Pernia.
Mr. Motin has been remanded in custody. A further case management hearing is scheduled for 10 September 2025, with the trial set to begin on 12 January 2026.
According to an interim report released by the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB), 36 crew members from both vessels were rescued following the collision.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the incident in this high-traffic shipping area.
