Russian captain jailed for 6 years for death of crew member in North Sea tanker crash

Vladimir Motin, a 59-year-old Russian captain, was sentenced to six years in prison for manslaughter following a fatal collision involving his cargo ship, the Solong, and the anchored oil tanker Stena Immaculate in the North Sea. The incident occurred on March 10, 2025, off the coast of Yorkshire, northeastern England. Motin was on sole watch duty when the crash happened, resulting in a significant fire on both vessels and the death of crew member Mark, who was aboard the Solong. The collision led to a major rescue operation due to the blaze ignited by the crash. Judge Andrew Baker described Motin as an “accident waiting to happen” during the sentencing. The Stena Immaculate was anchored and carrying over 220,000 barrels of high-grade aviation fuel at the time of the incident. Motin was found guilty of causing the death of the crew member through gross negligence in a London court.