Smoke rises from the MV Solong cargo ship in the North Sea, off the east coast of England, on March 11, 2025, a day after it collided with the MV Stena Immaculate tanker

Smoke rises from the MV Solong cargo ship in the North Sea, off the east coast of England, on March 11, 2025, a day after it collided with the MV Stena Immaculate tanker

 Paul ELLIS

The Russian captain of a cargo ship which hit a tanker in the North Sea off the UK coast triggering a huge fire was in court Monday for his trial charged with manslaughter for the death of a crew member.

Vladimir Motin, 59, from St Petersburg, has been charged with one count of gross negligence manslaughter. He has pleaded not guilty and his trial at London's Old Bailey court is expected to last several weeks. 

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