UK Charges Captain of Solong with Gross Negligence Manslaughter
The Humberside Police and the UK’s Crown Prosecution Service Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division confirmed late on Friday that the captain of the containership Solong has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter in connection with the allision with the Stena Immaculate off the coast of England on Monday morning. Prosecutors and the defendant are scheduled to appear in the Hull Magistrates Court tomorrow, Saturday, March 15, at which time additional details might become public.
The captain of the Solong, Vladimir Motin, a 59-year-old from Primorsky, St Petersburg, Russia, was taken into custody and arrested the police reported on Tuesday less than a day after the two vessels collided about 10 miles off the UK coast. The police said they were leading the investigation of any potential criminal offenses after it was reported that a Filipino crewmember, Mark Angelo Pernia, age 38, was missing and presumed deceased. The search for the missing crewmember was suspended Monday night HM Coastguard reported.
The police said they were continuing to speak with all those involved to establish the full circumstances of the incident in conjunction with the UK’s Marine Accident Investigation Bureau which is leading the maritime inquiry. They called it a complex investigation and returned to the court on Wednesday to get a 36-hour extension and again on Thursday for a further 24-hour extension.
“Additional time has been imperative to the investigation due to the complexities of the incident with the vessels in the sea, the number of witnesses involved, and establishing any scenes to collate and gather information and evidence,” the police said on Thursday.
The Prosecution Service cautioned against speculation to protect Motin’s rights to a fair trial. A spokesperson for the containership's owner said in a statement that it would be "inappropriate for us to comment on ongoing police investigations. We are fully supporting the crew and assisting the investigation into the incident."
HM Coastguard reported on Friday that the situation aboard both vessels remained stable as salvage teams were planning for the next steps. They said that small periodic pockets of fire continued on the Solong, which “are not causing undue concern.” The containership continues to be held in position by a tow line while the tanker has remained at anchor where it was struck on Monday.