Defence secretary questioned on timing of Russian oil tanker seizure
9 reported2 unconfirmed
Defence secretary Dan Jarvis told MPs that the Russian oil tanker seized on Sunday had been monitored for several days, as he faced questions about why the capture took place over the weekend. The seizure occurred three days after the resignation of former defence secretary John Healey, who quit over a dispute about defence funding. Jarvis, flanked by chancellor Rachel Reeves in the Commons, said the vessel Smyrtos had been “closely tracked” in the days before Royal Marines boarded it. The tanker was captured 25 miles south of the Isle of Wight in the early hours of Sunday, with the operation completed in minutes. The captain, Indian national Ajay Pant, 38, was charged with breaching sanctions offences and is due in court on Tuesday. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge asked why no other shadow fleet vessels had been boarded in the three months since the policy was announced in March. Jarvis said the seizure was the result of weeks of planning but would not say if the UK would sell the crude oil on board to raise funds for Ukraine.
What’s reported
Dan Jarvis told MPs the Russian oil tanker Smyrtos had been monitored for several days before its seizure on Sunday.
The seizure took place three days after John Healey resigned as defence secretary on Thursday.
Healey’s resignation letter said the Treasury had only offered £13.5bn to plug an £18bn gap in the defence investment plan.
The tanker was carrying crude oil from Russia to India and was suspected of using a false flag of Cameroon.
Royal Marines captured the 244-metre vessel 25 miles south of the Isle of Wight in a matter of minutes.
Captain Ajay Pant, 38, an Indian national, was charged with breaching sanctions offences and will appear at Southampton magistrates court on Tuesday.
24 crew members from Georgia and India remain on board.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge asked why no other shadow fleet vessels had been boarded since the policy was announced in March.
Jarvis said the seizure was the result of weeks of military and operational planning but would not say if the UK would sell the 100,000 tonnes of crude oil on board.
Open questions
Why the seizure occurred this weekend specifically, after three months without any boardings of shadow fleet vessels.
Whether the UK will sell the crude oil on board the Smyrtos to raise funds for Ukraine’s defence.
Key figures
Dan Jarvis, defence secretary
Rachel Reeves, chancellor
John Healey, former defence secretary
James Cartlidge, shadow defence secretary
Ajay Pant, captain of the Smyrtos, Indian national
Sources: The Guardian
