The manslaughter trial of Captain Vladimir Motin, 59, of the containership Solong, resumed in London, where he faces a charge of gross negligence manslaughter related to the death of a crew member. During the proceedings, defense lawyer James Leonard questioned Motin about whether he had fallen asleep or left the bridge while navigating the ship. Motin consistently denied these allegations, stating he had not left his post since starting his watch at 0800 that morning and noted that two crew members had seen him working on the bridge.
Investigators revealed that the vessel’s bridge motion alarm system had been turned off for an extended period. Although Motin confirmed the system was inactive, he argued it was unrelated to the Solong colliding with the anchored tanker Stena Immaculate. This alarm system requires a crew member to press a button every 30 minutes to indicate their presence; failure to do so triggers an alarm. On the day of the incident, the Solong was operating on autopilot.
Motin also mentioned that Mark Anthony Pernia, the missing seafarer presumed dead after the collision, was initially assigned lookout duty but was instead assisting the chief engineer due to favorable visibility conditions. However, the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Branch criticized the ship for lacking a lookout during the incident. Motin claimed he first spotted the Stena Immaculate at a distance of 10 to 12 nautical miles and attempted to maneuver the Solong about one nautical mile from the tanker, asserting that autopilot issues contributed to the collision.
The trial is expected to last several weeks and is distinct from civil claims filed by the tanker’s charterer and the owner of the Solong. The incident occurred on March 10, 2025, while the Solong was en route from Scotland to the Netherlands, resulting in a fire after striking the Stena Immaculate, which had a jet fuel tank punctured. Pernia, who was believed to be working on the Solong, remains missing, while the crews of both vessels were rescued by nearby workboats and British authorities.
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