The Russian captain of the container ship Solong was found guilty in a London court on Monday of causing the death of a crew member through gross negligence. Vladimir Motin, 59, was captain of the Solong when it hit the Stena Immaculate tanker off the east coast of Britain in March last year.
The crash started a blaze on both ships and caused the death of Solong crew member Mark Pernia, a Philippines national whose body has never been found and is presumed dead. Motin's lawyer argued that while he was at fault, he was not grossly negligent, but prosecutors said he did 'absolutely nothing' to prevent the collision.
The trial followed allegations of sabotage, but maritime security sources said there was no indication of malicious activity. The Solong's alarm system had been switched off and the crew of both ships were given no warning of the collision.
Motin will be sentenced on Thursday. The guilty verdict is also subject to civil litigation, with the Solong's owner facing a lawsuit at London's High Court.
The company has applied to throw out the case and a hearing is due to take place next month. The family of Mark Pernia has received support from the company, which said it had 'fullest sympathies' for them and was providing ongoing support.