British police have charged the captain of the container ship Solong with manslaughter and gross negligence following a fatal accident involving an American tanker. This is reported by Reuters, reports UNN.
Details
According to reports, 59-year-old Vladimir Motin is a citizen of the Russian Federation. He has been detained and is due to appear in court in Hull on Saturday.
The collision occurred on Monday: the Solong, sailing under the Portuguese flag, crashed at high speed into the tanker Stena Immaculate, which was carrying aviation fuel. The accident killed 38-year-old Filipino Mark Angelo Pernia, and 36 other crew members were rescued.
After the impact, a large fire broke out on board the ships, and explosions were heard. Initially, there were fears of an environmental disaster, but experts determined that most of the fuel had burned and no leaks were detected.
Rescuers boarded the damaged ships on Thursday to assess the damage. Police now say the investigation will take a long time, as the ships are still at sea and there are a large number of witnesses.
The Russian Embassy in London said it was in contact with the British authorities. The diplomats also said they had spoken to Captain Motin, who was feeling well. It is known that there were five Russians on board the Solong.