Royal Marines seize supertanker suspected of carrying oil to Syria

A detachment of Royal Marines was involved in a “bold” and “brave” operation to seize a supertanker suspected of carrying oil destined for Bashar Assad’s Syrian regime.

Royal Marines from 42 Commando were brought in to use their specialist boarding skills. Picture: AP

The marines worked alongside the authorities in Gibraltar to detain the Grace 1, which was believed to be heading to the Banyas refinery in breach of European Union sanctions.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the swift action by the authorities on the Rock and the Royal Marines would deny valuable resources to Assad’s “murderous regime”.

The marines were brought in to use their specialist boarding skills to help ensure the Royal Gibraltar Police could gain access to the tanker at sea.

Royal Marines from 42 Commando were involved in the operation and no shots were fired.

The first marines on to the vessel descended on ropes from a Wildcat helicopter, while others were in rigid inflatable boats.

Around 16 Royal Gibraltar Police officers were also involved in the mission.

The British ambassador to Tehran is understood to have met Iranian ministry of foreign affairs officials yesterday afternoon after being summoned by Iran.

He was to reiterate the UK’s backing of the firm actions taken by Gibraltar in enforcing the sanctions.

Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi reportedly told Iranian state TV that the ambassador was summoned over the “illegal seizure” of the tanker.

Gibraltar’s chief minister Fabian Picardo praised the “brave men and women” of the Royal Marines, the Royal Gibraltar Police, HM Customs Gibraltar and the Gibraltar Port Authority for their work in securing the detention of the vessel and its cargo.

Mr Hunt congratulated those involved in the “bold move to enforce Syria sanctions”.

The 330m long, Panama-flagged Grace 1 was detained off Gibraltar yesterday morning.

Mr Picardo said: “In the early hours of this morning, Gibraltar port and law enforcement agencies, assisted by a detachment of Royal Marines, boarded a supertanker carrying crude oil to Syria.

“We have detained the vessel and its cargo. This action arose from information giving the Gibraltar government reasonable grounds to believe that the vessel, the Grace 1, was acting in breach of EU sanctions against Syria.

“In fact we have reason to believe that the Grace 1 was carrying its shipment of crude oil to the Banyas refinery in Syria.”

The EU has imposed a series of sanctions against Assad’s regime in Syria in response to the conflict in the country.

Some 270 individuals and 69 entities are listed in the sanctions regime.

A Downing Street spokesman welcomed the operation and said it sent a clear signal “that violation of the sanctions is unacceptable”.