Sam Tobin
LONDON, Feb 2 (Reuters) – The Russian captain of a container ship that rammed a U.S. oil tanker off Britain’s east coast last March was found guilty in a London court on Monday of causing the death of a crew member by gross negligence.
Vladimir Motin, 59, was the captain of the Solong when it hit the Stena Immaculate tanker, which was anchored and carrying more than 220,000 barrels of advanced aviation fuel.
The March 10 incident sparked a fire on both ships that killed Solon crew member Mark Pernia. Mark Peña was a Filipino whose body was never found and presumed dead.
At the start of Moting’s trial last month, prosecutor Tom Little told jurors that the captain did “absolutely nothing” to prevent the collision and that he had been heading toward the Stena Immaculate for more than 30 minutes before the accident.
Mortin’s attorney, James Leonard, said Mortin tried unsuccessfully to get the Sauron off the autopilot and change its course, arguing that while Mortin was at fault, he was not grossly negligent.
Moting pleaded not guilty and was found guilty of the grossly negligent manslaughter of Peña following a trial at London’s Old Bailey court. He will be sentenced on Thursday.
Little told the court that Peña’s wife, who lived in the Philippines, was seven months pregnant at the time of his death and their child had already been born.
Prosecution will be filed after criminal trial
The Portuguese-flagged Solon was flying from Grangemouth, Scotland, to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, carrying mostly alcohol, and Moting said he had been on such a flight many times.
The Stena Immaculate was waiting at its berth to unload cargo when it was hit by the Solong at about 18 mph (29 km/h), causing a fire and throwing the Pernia overboard.
Modin’s Russian nationality raised some hints of sabotage, but maritime security sources said at the time there was no suggestion of any malicious activity.
Little told jurors last month that the Sauron’s alarm system was turned off and that the crews of the Stena Immaculate and Sauron were not warned of the collision.
The accident is also the subject of civil litigation, with Solon’s owners – a subsidiary of Ernst Russ – facing action at the High Court in London. It has applied to dismiss the case and a hearing is scheduled for next month.
Ernst Russ said last year that a fund was being set up for potential litigation and expressed his “fullest sympathies to the family and loved ones of Mark Angelo Pernia.”
“We will continue to provide support to the family,” the company said in a statement, adding: “They have remained remarkably resilient during this difficult time.”
(Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Michael Holden and Alexander Smith)
