Thu, 05 Feb 2026

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 Silence and inaction - how audio helped prove captain guilty of North Sea tanker crash

The top detective investigating the tanker collision says there were early signs of gross negligence from Vladimir Motin
Captain Vladimir Motin's 30-minute silence after the North Sea tanker crash was "striking" and showed he was at fault, according to Detective Chief Superintendent Craig Nicholson. Audio from the Solong, captained by Motin, revealed only background noises for 63 seconds post-collision, while the Stena Immaculate's audio was chaotic with crew members reacting immediately to the collision. The investigation found that Motin couldn't explain his inaction on the bridge, and his initial account of the incident was vague. He also failed to use safety tools like radar and electronic systems, and a crew notification system was turned off. As the case progressed, Motin's defense lawyer argued that human error did not amount to gross negligence manslaughter. However, Nicholson said he didn't believe Motin gave a truthful account of the events. The detective stated that even if there was a mechanical failure with the autopilot, Motin never contacted ship engineers to report an issue. He also failed to take corrective action when he saw the Stena Immaculate on his radar at 9 miles distance. At the very least, Motin should have sounded an alarm to prevent the death of Mark Pernia, a crewman who was last seen on the Solong's bow and is missing, presumed dead. Motin was sentenced to six years in prison for gross negligence manslaughter.
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