Ship's crew recall moment of North Sea crash

The crew of a cargo ship that crashed into an oil tanker in the North Sea, killing a crew member, have told a jury about the collision.

The Solong collided with the Stena Immaculate which was anchored off the East Yorkshire coast on 10 March, causing an explosion and leaving Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, missing presumed dead.

The Solong's captain, Vladimir Motin from Primorsky in St Petersburg, Russia, denies gross negligence manslaughter.

In a statement read out at the Old Bailey in London, Chief Officer Anatoli Glukhov said he "felt a blow and inertia knocking me off balance."

Glukhov, who was working in a cabin, said there was "no warning or alarms or internal warnings" before the impact.

He rushed to the deck and saw "red flames growing, covering the deck" and then went to the bridge where he found Motin radioing the coastguard.

"I activated the ship's general alarm then left the bridge to the muster station," his statement said.

The ship's bosun informed him that Pernia, who was working at the front of the ship, was missing.

A search was launched but the chief officer said rescuers could not get to the bow due to the fire and the crew abandoned ship.

While in the lifeboat, Glukhov said the captain remained silent.

"He did not explain what had happened," the statement said.

"I cannot understand why the collision happened.

"I am not aware of any faults or deficiencies to the ship. All equipment was in good working order."

Another statement from Able Seaman William Estil was read to the court.

He said he was working when the impact of the collision caused him to fall to the deck.

"The flames were getting bigger and bigger and spreading to the aft where I was standing," he said.

"I was feeling very scared at what I was seeing and thinking about my family and if I would survive."

Also giving evidence by video link was Peter Skerys, second officer aboard the Stena Immaculate, who was on watch duty on the bridge when the ship was hit.

He told the jury he was knocked off his feet by the collision and looked up to see "lots of smoke and fire".

When questioned by defence barrister James Leonard KC, the officer said he had no idea the Solong was approaching "as they were making no calls or signals to us".

"At the speed they were travelling, it was a matter of minutes as they appeared on the radar and collided with us," he added.

Previously, prosecutor Tom Little KC told jurors the fatal crash was "entirely avoidable".

He alleged Motin "did absolutely nothing to avoid the collision" despite the tanker being visible on the radar and other electronic systems, and from the bridge, where the captain was on duty.

The court heard Motin told police he had tried to take manual control of the ship's steering when it was one mile (1.6km) away from the Stena Immaculate, but the autopilot did not disengage.

The trial continues.

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