British forces joined a dramatic US operation to seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker off the coast of Scotland today.
The Marinera, a Venezuelan-linked vessel previously known as Bella-1, was captured as it travelled north and eastwards in the waters towards Iceland.
RAF surveillance craft and a naval support vessel, the RFA Tideforce, were among the UK military assets which took part in the operation, according to the MoD.
The capture of the Marinera, which appeared bound for a Russian arctic port, could prove a new flashpoint in relations between the the West and Moscow, whose transport ministry appeared to suggest the international law of the sea had been breached.
Dramatic photos in Russian media purportedly show a helicopter – believed to be an American MH-6 Little Bird – swooping close to the rogue vessel before it was captured by US forces around 124 miles south of the Icelandic coast.
The Ministry of Defence insisted the support was ‘in full compliance with international law’.
Defence Secretary John Healey said: ‘Today our UK Armed Forces showed skill and professionalism in support of a successful US interception of the vessel Bella 1 while on its way to Russia. This action formed part of global efforts to crack down on sanctions busting.
‘This ship, with a nefarious history, is part of a Russian-Iranian axis of sanctions evasion which is fuelling terrorism, conflict, and misery from the Middle East to Ukraine.
‘The UK will continue to step up our action against shadow fleet activity to protect our national security, our economy, and global stability – making Britain secure at home and strong abroad.
‘The US is the UK’s closest defence and security partner. The depth of our defence relationship with the US is an essential part of our security, and today’s seamlessly executed operation shows just how well this works in practice.’
The MoD added the ship had initially flown a false flag and is assessed to have been involved in illegal activity linked to Hezbollah.
The Marinera ship – originally known as the Bella-1 – made an abrupt turn this afternoon and was heading towards Britain, according to ship tracking data.
The operation occurred in front of Russian military personnel, who were allegedly watching on from a nearby submarine when the seizure took place.
Donald Trump’s latest power play came after the Marinera slipped through a US maritime ‘blockade’ of sanctioned vessels and rebuffed US Coast Guard efforts to board it.
The operation is a show of strength against Vladimir Putin – days after the US seized the ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in a lightning raid and threatened to takeover Greenland.
The tanker is the latest to be targeted by the US Coast Guard since the start of Trump’s pressure campaign against Venezuela.
Last month, the US Coast Guard attempted to board it in the Caribbean, armed with a warrant to seize the ship over alleged breaches of US sanctions and claims it had shipped Iranian oil.
However, the tanker then abruptly changed course, renamed itself Marinera and was added to an official Russian ship database
At one point while being pursued, the crew of the vessel painted a Russian flag on its hull, claiming it was sailing under Russian protection, and Moscow made a formal diplomatic request that the US stop its chase.
