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An oil tanker that was raided by special forces off the Isle of Wight after France and Spain denied access to the port to an alleged hijacking attempt to land seven stowaways in the days leading up to the incident.
The men were detained when the Special Boat Service (SBS) stormed the Liberian-registered tanker on Sunday after fears the crew was no longer fully in charge.
But The Guardian understands that the French authorities had previously denied Nave Andromeda’s permission to dock and disembark the stowaways, while the Spanish authorities denied the tanker’s access to the port of Las Palmas.
According to the maritime newspaper Lloyd’s List, ship tracking data shows that the tanker set sail from Nigerian waters on October 5 and spent 24 hours off the French coast near Saint-Nazaire since October 20, before sailing to the north.
It then spent two days off the Spanish and Portuguese coasts before reaching the waters off the south coast of England on October 25.
The International Maritime Organization guidelines on stowaways state that captains must notify authorities of the existence of stowaways at the next port of call, as well as take steps to establish their identity and where they embarked.
Ship captains must also ensure the safety, general health, well-being and safety of stowaways until disembarkation, as well as ensuring that they are treated humanely.
The Andromeda Ship’s operator, Navios Tankers Management, said stowaways “illegally boarded” the tanker in Lagos. He also thanked the British authorities involved in the operation “for their timely and professional response.”
A company statement said the ship’s captain had “become concerned for the safety of the crew due to the increasingly hostile behavior of stowaways” as they approached the UK.
Sources told Lloyd’s List that the captain was in control of the bridge and that the chief engineer was locked in the engine room.
The 228-meter tanker was due to dock in Southampton on Sunday to pick up a shipment of gasoline, but its course in the English Channel turned erratic, prompting calls for intervention as it passed the southeast edge of the Isle of Wight.
The SBS used two Royal Navy Merlin helicopters and two Wildcat helicopters to take control of the tanker. Hampshire Police said the 22 crew members were safe and sound, and the ship has been detained while officers conduct investigations.
Stowaways have been arrested on suspicion of seizing or exercising control of a ship through the use of threats or force under the UK Aviation and Maritime Safety Act 1990.
