Ship owner files legal claim after North Sea crash
One person is missing presumed dead and 36 others were rescued following the collision around 12 miles off the coast of East Yorkshire in March.
Friday 4 April 2025 13:15, UK
The owners of a container ship which crashed into a tanker in the North Sea - causing a huge fire on both vessels - has filed a legal claim in relation to the disaster.
German shipping company Ernst Russ, which owns Portuguese-registered Solong, said the claim filed against the owners of the tanker is part of the "usual process for large maritime casualties".
Court records indicate the claim was filed against "the owners and demise charterers" of the Stena Immaculate tanker at the Admiralty Court on Thursday.
It comes after Stena Bulk, the owner of Stena Immaculate, and Crowley, the vessel's operator, filed a legal claim at the same court on Monday against a subsidiary of Ernst Russ in relation to the crash.
Solong crashed into the Stena Immaculate around 12 miles off the coast of East Yorkshire at a speed of about 16 knots (around 18.4mph) on 10 March.
The collision caused jet fuel being carried by the tanker to ignite - resulting in the fires on both ships.
Rescuers saved 36 crew members from both ships but one sailor - named as Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38 - remains missing from the Solong and is presumed dead.
Meanwhile, Solong's captain, Vladimir Motin, 59, of St Petersburg, Russia, is due to stand trial in January 2026 charged with gross negligence manslaughter.
The rest of the crew were also either Russian or Filipino nationals, Ernst Russ said.
Stena Bulk said after the incident that 17,515 barrels of jet fuel were lost due to the collision and the subsequent fire, with the Solong still burning a week later
Following the filing of the legal claim on Thursday, Ernst Russ said in a statement: "As part of the legal proceedings arising from the collision between the Solong and Stena Immaculate, the owners of the Solong have filed a claim in the Admiralty Court in London.
"This is usual process for large maritime casualties and represents another step in working toward the conclusion of this tragic incident.
"Meanwhile, Ernst Russ continues to offer all necessary assistance in support of the ongoing investigations."
It comes after the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said in a preliminary report on Thursday there was no "dedicated lookout" on either of the vessels.
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The MAIB said Stena Immaculate's second officer took over "anchor watch" for a 12-hour duty period shortly before midnight, while Solong's master returned to the bridge at 7am and was the "lone watchkeeper".
The crash happened at 9.47am.
A watchkeeper is responsible for the safe navigation of a vessel, whereas the role of lookout is to continuously watch the sea.
The preliminary report described visibility in the area as "patchy" at the time of the crash.
The MAIB's full investigation will examine manning and fatigue management, the condition and maintenance of the vessels involved and the environmental conditions at the time.
It will also look at the navigation and watchkeeping practices on board both vessels.
Crowley said in a statement: "The report confirmed that the Stena Immaculate's second officer was on watch, beginning a 12-hour lookout shift just before midnight, during which patchy visibility was reported in the area.
"It is important to note that watch requirements for vessels at anchor are different from ships that are under way.
"The Stena Immaculate was operating in compliance with applicable watch-standing safety regulations and Crowley company policies for an anchored vessel.
"We are confident that the forthcoming comprehensive investigation report will clarify the facts and circumstances of the incident, demonstrating that Crowley exercised appropriate vigilance."
The salvage operations for both ships remain ongoing, with the report noting that "an evaluation of the nature and extent of pollution from both vessels is in progress".