Police have released dramatic CCTV and onboard footage capturing the moment two ships erupted into a massive fireball following a deadly collision in the North Sea last year. The newly released video provides a clearer picture of how the fatal incident unfolded off the coast of East Yorkshire.

The footage shows the container ship Solong crashing into the left side of the U.S.-flagged oil tanker Stena Immaculate in March of last year. The impact immediately triggered a large explosion and intense fire, engulfing parts of both vessels within seconds. Authorities say the collision occurred while Vladimir Motin, a 59-year-old Russian national from Primorsky in St. Petersburg, was on sole watch duty aboard the Solong.

Mark Angelo Pernia, 38, lost his life in the collision. His body has never been recovered, and he is presumed to have died in the explosion or subsequent fire. The incident sent shockwaves through the maritime industry and raised serious questions about watchkeeping practices and navigational safety in heavily trafficked waters.

Motin has been charged in connection with the collision but has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter. The case is currently being heard at the Old Bailey, where prosecutors are relying in part on the newly released footage to establish the sequence of events leading up to the crash.

The video evidence underscores the destructive potential of maritime collisions and the narrow margin for error at sea, as the trial continues to determine responsibility for one of the deadliest shipping incidents in the region in recent years.