Cargo ship captain involved in North Sea collision pleads not guilty

he captain of the cargo ship Solong involved in a collision with the oil tanker Stena Immaculate in the North Sea has pleaded not guilty to a charge of gross negligence manslaughter.

The incident occurred on 10 March when the Portuguese-flagged cargo vessel Solong collided with the US-flagged tanker Stena Immaculate off the coast of East Yorkshire. The collision resulted in fire aboard the Stena Immaculate, which was carrying jet fuel that lasted for a week. Thirty-six crew members from both vessels were rescued, however, a 38-year-old crew member from the Solong has since been missing and presumed dead.

The captain charged, a 59-year-old from Primorsky in St. Petersburg, Russia, appeared via video link from prison at the Central Criminal Court in London, where his identity was confirmed with the assistance of a Russian interpreter before entering the plea.

The accused has been remanded in custody until trial, with a case management hearing scheduled for 10 September and the trial set to begin on 12 January 2026.

source : safety4sea