The Russian captain of the container ship that 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 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.
The defendent was flanked by one security guard and had the help of a Russian interpreter at Hull Magistrates Court.
Sporting short black hair, parted on the left, the defendant was wearing a grey T-shirt under a blue checked shirt and an unzipped black fleece jacket. He was clean-shaven and wearing glasses.
He spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and that he did not have an address in the UK.
Prosecutor Amelia Katz, who also appeared by videolink, said the 140m-long Solong was Portuguese-registered and was carrying about 157 containers.
Ms Katz said the Stena Immaculate was 183m long and was carrying jet fuel. She added the Solong was travelling at about 15 knots when it directly impacted on the port side of the other vessel.
Mr Pernia was working in the forward deck part of the ship, in the area where there was an explosion, she said.
Andrew Havery, defending, said he is hoping to apply for bail next week when accommodation for his client has been secured.
Mr Havery said: “Mr Motin’s employers are fully supportive of him.”
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.
