Captain Vladimir Motin denies manslaughter following the fatal crash off the East Yorkshire coast last year
Damage on the Stena Immaculate after the Solong crashed into it on March 10, 2025(Image: PA)
The captain of a container ship that fatally crashed into an oil tanker off the East Yorkshire coast has denied falling asleep or leaving his post. Russian national Vladimir Motin, 59, was on sole watch duty when the Solong collided with the anchored Stena Immaculate near the Humber on March 10 last year, causing the death of 38-year-old Mark Angelo Pernia.
Giving evidence on Monday during a trial at the Old Bailey, Motin said he first became aware of the Stena Immaculate from between 10 and 12 nautical miles away. Defence barrister James Leonard KC asked: “Did you fall asleep at any stage?”
Motin denied this. Mr Leonard asked: “Did you leave the bridge to go to the loo, have a comfort break?” Motin replied: “I never left the bridge at the material time from 8am.”
The defendant told jurors he had two visitors to the bridge that morning, the ship’s engineer and chief cook, but neither was picked up on audio recordings. Mr Pernia was engaged in helping the chief engineer with some repairs that day and was also the designated “lookout”, jurors heard.
Motin said the crew member was not required as lookout as visibility never dropped to two nautical miles. Motin told jurors that he had already done several trips from Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands when the tragedy struck.
Once he became aware of the Stena Immaculate dead ahead, he delayed taking evasive action because he thought it was moving slowly but unpredictably. When the Solong reached one nautical mile from the oil tanker, Motin said he took the decision to take it out of autopilot and steer 15 degrees.
Asked if he looked at the button when he switched to manual, Motin said: “Literally, I done it more than 1,000 times. In reality you don’t look to the button when you press it.”
Motin told jurors he then rotated the wheel starboard by 20 degrees. When nothing happened after five seconds, he increased the rudder angle to no effect.
He told jurors: “I thought I have no rudder at all, it’s not responding so I have to look around and see why is not responding.”
Motin could see no visual alarms and checked to see that the autopilot light was off, the court was told. His attempts to change course having failed, Motin recalled a company representative telling him about a rudder fault on sister ship, Sanskip Express, a few days earlier.
He proceeded to stop and restart the steering gear, as he had been advised if he experienced a similar problem. However, Motin said, “nothing helped”.
Mr Justice Baker asked: “Did you at the time think about slowing down or did you not give it any thought at all?” Motin replied: “I was thinking that I solve the problem soon instead of reversing the engine.”
Motin, from Primorsky, St Petersburg, has denied manslaughter and the trial continues.