Armed Forces showed skill and professionalism in helping US seize tanker, says Healey
Defence Secretary John Healey has praised the "skill and professionalism" of the Armed Forces in supporting the US to interdict the Russia-flagged oil tanker Marinera in the North Atlantic.
The tanker, which was previously called Bella 1, was seized by the US Coast Guard on Wednesday afternoon after more than two weeks on the run.
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the Armed Forces provided pre-planned operational support, including basing, at the request of the US, to military assets interdicting the Marinera.
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."
According to the Ministry of Defence, the ship is sanctioned by the US under counter-Iran measures, designed to stop Iran profiting from illegal oil sales that fuel instability in the Middle East.
The department said the vessel had engaged in behaviour consistent with sanctions-evasion activity, including:
- Initially flying a false flag
- Switching off transponders while at sea
- Attempting to reflag while being pursued
- Recently displaying a Russian flag, which the MOD said underlined the vessel's place in an "interconnected" web of shadow activity
The department also claimed recent assessments linked the vessel to illicit networks tied to international terrorism and crime, including Hezbollah, and described it as part of a wider pattern of "shadow fleet" activity that threatens national and global security.
Speaking to Sky News, former RAF fast jet pilot Air Vice Marshal Sean Bell offered his insight into which British assets were involved.
"We do understand the key military elements were the RFA Tideforce, which is a replenishment vessel.
"Most of US military would have been a long way from home when just off the coast of the UK, so providing them fuel and other supplies would have been invaluable, but also providing them with intelligence.
"The RAF surveillance support, probably a Poseidon aircraft which would have been operating out of its base in the North of Scotland, [is] a very, very capable aircraft and [there is] also the potential for military fighter jets providing them an overwatch facility as well.
"That might sound like overkill, but once you've got Russian submarines and military craft out there, who knows how it might have exercised."
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