The Russian captain of the cargo ship Solong, which collided with the oil tanker Stena Immaculate in the North Sea on Monday, has been charged with manslaughter by gross negligence, British police confirmed on Friday.
Vladimir Motine, 59, from Saint Petersburg, Russia, was charged with manslaughter by gross negligence and taken into police custody ahead of his appearance at Hull Crown Court on Saturday, Humberside Police stated.
The collision occurred on Monday morning off the English North Sea coast, near the mouth of the River Humber. The Solong struck the Stena Immaculate, causing both vessels to catch fire. The latter was carrying nearly 35 million litres of kerosene for the US military, some of which spilled into the North Sea.
36 crew members were rescued. One crew member is missing and presumed dead; according to prosecutors, this individual is a 38-year-old Filipino national.
