UK forces board and seize sanctioned tanker

RM Commandos operating from a Merlin Mk 4 helicopter seize the tanker Smyrtos on 14 June 2026. The frigate HMS Sutherland is in the background. (Crown copyright)

In a first of its kind operation, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 14 June 2026 that UK forces had boarded and seized the sanctioned tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel.

The MoD said that Smyrtos is part of the Russian ‘shadow fleet', and was boarded in the early hours of the morning of 14 June by Royal Marines Commandos and officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA). The NCA said an Indian national had subsequently been arrested “on suspicion of suspected sanctions offences under the Russia Regulations”, referring to the 2019 legislation that includes ship sanctions provisions.

According to the MoD, the operation lasted six hours, with support being provided by Chinook, Merlin Mk 4, and Wildcat helicopters from the Maritime Action Group; a Royal Air Force P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft; and the frigate HMS Sutherland (F 81) and the minehunter HMS Ledbury (M 30). Video and imagery of the seizure released by the MoD showed commandos fast-roping from Chinook and Merlin Mk 4 helicopters onto Smyrtos and subsequently searching the ship. In a social media post, UK Commando Force Operations said Smyrtos was “sailing under a false Cameroonian flag” and confirmed that 42 Commando had been involved in the operation.

Following the seizure, the MoD said that Smyrtos “will be provisionally moved to an anchorage off the South Coast of England and will be monitored for any environmental or safety concerns.” Open-source marine automatic identification system (AIS) data showed Smyrtos off the coast of Portland on 15 June, with Sutherland in close proximity.