The Russian captain of the container ship which crashed into an oil tanker in the North Sea has been remanded in custody after being charged with gross negligence manslaughter.
Vladimir Motin, 59, of Primorsky, St Petersburg, in Russia, appeared at Hull Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, Humberside Police said.
The Crown Prosecution Service said that Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, died following the collision between Motin’s vessel, the Solong, and the Stena Immaculate oil tanker off the east coast of Yorkshire.
Motin stood in the glass-front dock at Hull Magistrates Court for the 35-minute long hearing. The court heard how all 23 people on the tanker were rescued along with 13 of 14 crew members from the Solong but Mr Pernia could not be located.
There was no application for bail and Motin was remanded in custody by deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram, who appeared by videolink.
No pleas were entered.
Motin will appear next at the Old Bailey on 14 April.
On Monday around 10am, the Portuguese-flagged cargo vessel MV Solong collided with US-flagged oil tanker Stena Immaculate, which was at anchor and carrying aviation fuel.
The Stena Immaculate is still at anchor at the point where the collision happened, which is about 12 miles off the East Yorkshire coast, near Withernsea.
The Solong drifted south of this location, to a point where it could be seen off the Lincolnshire coast.
On Friday the force confirmed magistrates had granted a further extension to the time detectives could hold the captain “due to the complexities of the incident”.
Later that day, police said he had been charged.
On Friday, chief coastguard Paddy O’Callaghan said the vessels are “stable” and salvors have boarded them both to continue damage assessments.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said on Thursday the situation was “reasonably contained”.
The CPS said it “reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against this defendant are now active and that he has the right to a fair trial.
“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
