New photos show moment of North Sea crash – as report says neither ship had ‘dedicated lookout’ | UK News
Newly released photographs have shown the moment two ships collided during last month’s North Sea crash.
It comes as a preliminary investigation has found that neither ship had a “dedicated lookout”.
Visibility when the Solong container ship struck the Stena Immaculate oil tanker in the North Sea on 10 March was “patchy”, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said in a preliminary report.
“The visibility in the area north of the Humber light float was reported to be patchy and varying between 0.25 nautical miles (nm) and 2.0nm,” the report said.
Neither ship had a dedicated lookout, an initial report has found
Visibility was ‘patchy’ at the time of the crash
“Neither Solong nor Stena Immaculate had a dedicated lookout on the bridge.”
It added: “At (7am), Solong’s master returned to the bridge and took over the watch as the lone watchkeeper.”
The crash happened at 9.47am.
Rescuers saved 36 crew members from both ships. One sailor – named as Filipino national Mark Angelo Pernia, 38 – remains missing and is presumed dead.
The Solong’s Russian captain, Vladimir Motin, 59, appeared at the Old Bailey last month charged with gross negligence manslaughter and is due to stand trial in January 2026.
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