The Russian captain of a cargo ship that crashed into a U.S. fuel tanker in the North Sea, appeared in a British court where he was charged with manslaughter and gross negligence.
Vladimir Motin, 59, from Saint Petersburg, was remanded in custody after he appeared in court in Hull, east Yorkshire on Saturday.
Why It Matters
Molin was captain of the Portuguese-flagged Solong container vessel, which hit the Stena Immaculate, a vessel chartered by the U.S. military to carry jet fuel, on Monday at full speed while it was anchored 10 miles off the coast of Hull.
The crash caused fires and explosions and one of the Solong‘s crew members, 38-year-old Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, is missing “presumed” dead.
The British government has ruled out foul play in the incident but there are still questions over the cause of the crash which the court case is expected to reveal.
What To Know
Although one crew member is missing and presumed dead, 36 other crew members from both vessels survived and were brought to shore following the incident that occurred shortly before 10 a.m. Monday.
U.S.-based maritime management firm Crowley, which operates the Stena Immaculate, said the tanker “sustained a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1 fuel,” when the container ship struck it, triggering a fire and “multiple explosions onboard,” with fuel released into the sea.
According to Sky News, Port State Control inspection documents from July 2024 show officials warned that Solong‘s “emergency steering position communications/compass reading” was “not readable.” It was one of 10 issues inspectors highlighted.
Motin, from the district of Primorsky, did not apply for bail when he appeared in Hull magistrates’ court on Saturday.
The Russian embassy in London said on its Telegram channel that its diplomats had held a phone conversation with Motin, that he had been provided with an interpreter and a lawyer and embassy staff were in close contact with them.
The coast guard has said that salvage companies had boarded the two vessels to carry out initial damage assessments.
The Stena Immaculate remains anchored at the point of the crash and the Solong drifted south of the site, which is still facing periodic pockets of fire.
Specialist tugs with firefighting capability remain at both vessels’ locations and the coast guard said there was no cause for concern of pollution.
Maritime law attorney Matt Shaffer told Newsweek that the incident, while occurring in international waters, can and will be litigated in the United States and that both vessels are likely covered under a Protection and Indemnity (P&I) policy to address losses.
What People Are Saying
Humberside Police’s Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson said on Tuesday: “Extensive work has already been carried out, and we are working closely with our partners to understand what happened, and to provide support to all of those affected.”
The Russian embassy in London according to RIA Novosti: “He feels well. The Russian citizen has been provided with an interpreter and a lawyer, with whom our employees also maintain constant contact.”
What Happens Next?
Motin is scheduled to appear The Central Criminal Court in London also known as The Old Bailey on April 14.
As the court case and investigation into the crash proceeds, Schaffer said the operator of the Stena Immaculate may file a limitation of liability in federal court in an effort to restrict its financial exposure.
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