Russian Captain Jailed Over Crew Member’s Death in US Tanker Crash

The captain of a container ship that crashed into a U.S. tanker off Britain’s east coast last year was jailed for six years on Thursday for causing the death of a crew member through gross negligence.

Russian national Vladimir Motin, 59, was captain of the Portuguese-flagged Solong when it hit the Stena Immaculate tanker, which was anchored and carrying just over 220,000 barrels of high-grade aviation fuel, on March 10, 2025.

The collision started a blaze on both ships and caused the death of Philippines national and Solong crew member Mark Pernia, 38, whose body has never been found.

Motin’s lawyer James Leonard said Motin unsuccessfully tried to take the Solong off autopilot and change course, arguing that while Motin was at fault he was not grossly negligent.

But, after a trial at London’s Old Bailey court, Motin was convicted on Monday and returned for sentencing on Thursday.

Judge Andrew Baker described Motin, who had turned off the Solong’s alarm systems, as an “accident waiting to happen” and told him that Pernia died “under your command … and because of your gross negligence.”

Prosecutor Tom Little read out a statement from Pernia’s wife, who lives in the Philippines and was seven months pregnant with their second child at the time of his death.

“Our longing for him will remain forever,” she said.

(Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by William James)

Photograph: Smoke rises from the Solong cargo ship off the UK’s east coast on March 11, 2025. Photo credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

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