Mon, 26 Jan 2026

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 Tanker crash captain denies falling asleep

Vladimir Motin denies gross negligence manslaughter after a crew member died in the North Sea crash.
Captain Vladimir Motin testified that he did not fall asleep or lose consciousness in the hours leading up to the Solong's collision with the Stena Immaculate off the East Yorkshire coast on March 10, 2025. When asked twice if he had fallen asleep, Motin replied "no". He denied allegations of gross negligence manslaughter and claimed he was the only person on watch duty at the time of the crash. Motin stated that he did not leave the bridge to use the toilet during the critical hours, and instead used various radar systems to track the Solong's course. When asked why he didn't carry out a "crash stop" to avoid the collision, Motin replied that it would have put the crew at risk of injury or death. The captain explained that he tried to take manual control of the ship's steering when it was one mile away from the Stena Immaculate, but the autopilot didn't disengage. He claimed that he increased the rudder angle several times, but the ship didn't respond. Motin stated that he checked the visual alarms and ensured the autopilot light was off before trying to restart the steering gear. When asked if he considered slowing down or reversing the engine, Motin replied that he thought he could solve the problem soon without taking drastic measures. The trial continues with Motin's testimony under scrutiny.
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