THIS is the terrifying moment an oil tanker explodes instantly after ploughing into a container ship off the UK coast.

Dramatic footage shows bothwithin seconds, in the Humber Estuary, on March 10 last year.

CCTV footage of the collision between the Solong and Stena Immaculate, with flames erupting from one of the vessels.Both vessels went up in flames instantly after the collision on March 10 last yearCredit: PA Overhead view of a fire on a ship.The moment the Solong crashed head-on into the Stena ImmaculateCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk CCTV footage of the collision between the Solong and the Stena Immaculate.The Stena Immaculate was carrying huge amounts of aviation fuel which leaked and sparked a huge fire ballCredit: PA

The video was shown to a jury as Russian Vladimir Motin, 59, stands trial at the Old Bailey

Motin was the only person on watch duty when the horror unfolded and the Solong crashed into the Stena Immaculate at 9.47am.

Filipino Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, had been at the front of the Solong and tragically died as a result of the collision.

The part of the boat he was working on became engulfed in the blaze, and his body has never been found.

The court heard how the Stena Immaculate was carrying huge amounts of aviation fuel which leaked and subsequently ignited as a result of the crash.

A minute went by before Motin could be heard on audio saying: “Stena Immaculate, Stena Immaculate.”

In a recording from the Stena Immaculate, a loud bang was heard followed by American crew members shouting: “Holy sh**… what just hit us… a container ship… this is no drill, this is no drill, fire fire fire, we have had a collision.”

In the background, alarm bells could be heard ringing out and a ship’s foghorn was repeatedly sounded.

In another harrowing piece of video footage from the Solong, a man’s voice was heard saying: “Lord help us. Lord help us. Lord help us.”

Motin , which they did via lifeboat.

A search was launched on board for Mr Pernia but staff couldn’t gain access to parts of the ship due to the fire.

Previously, prosecutor Tom Little KC told jurors the death of Mr Pernia was “entirely avoidable”.

Motin’s defence barrister, James Leonard KC, said the defendant accepted he was the officer navigating the Solong alone on the bridge from 8am on the morning of the tragedy.

He had also spotted the Stena Immaculate on their radar system at least nine nautical miles away, and noticed it was directly in the path of the Solong.

Mugshot of Russian national Vladimir Motin wearing glasses and a blue plaid shirt.Russian national Vladimir Motin, captain of the Portuguese-flagged Solong, is on trial accused of manslaughterCredit: Reuters Mark Angelo Pernia, a Solong crew member from the Philippines, leaning on a railing.Mark Pernia is presumed dead after the horror crashCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk Aerial view of the damaged cargo ship MV Solong with smoke billowing, aftermath of a collision in the North Sea.Harrowing footage was played at the Old BaileyCredit: Getty

The Solong had been on autopilot travelling at a speed of about 16 knots in the lead-up to the crash.

When the vessel was around three nautical miles away, Motin could in fact see the Stena Immaculate.

Mr Leonard told jurors: “The defendant will say that when he was approximately one nautical mile away from the Stena Immaculate’s position, he tried to take the Solong out of autopilot so as to attempt to change course to starboard manually, passing to the Stena Immaculate’s stern.

“There is no dispute that had he changed course in the way he intended, there would have been no collision.

Damage on the container ship Solong after a collision.Damage caused by the explosionCredit: PA Aerial view of the damaged MV Stena Immaculate tanker off the Yorkshire coast.The Stena Immaculate was transporting more than 220,000 barrels of JetA1 high grade aviation fuelCredit: AP

“That attempt was not successful and the Solong did not change course at all.”

The vessel was run by 14 crew members and was carrying mainly alcoholic spirits, with some hazardous substances, including empty but unclean sodium cyanide containers, the court was told.

Meanwhile, The Stena Immaculate, with a crew of 23, was transporting more than 220,000 barrels of JetA1 high grade aviation fuel.

The trial was adjourned until Thursday after Mr Justice Baker was forced to discharge a juror.

The judge said the juror had been “distracting himself and not focusing himself on the evidence in the trial”.

Motin, from Primorsky, St Petersburg, has denied manslaughter.

The trial continues.

Damage on the Stena Immaculate after a collision, with a fire hose spraying water.Photographs show where the Solong hit the vesselCredit: PA Damage on the container ship Solong after its collision with the oil tanker Stena Immaculate.The trial was adjourned until Thursday after Mr Justice Baker was forced to discharge a jurorCredit: PA

Eze Chidiebere Paul

Eze Chidiebere Paul

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