Oil tanker, the Nave Andromeda, involved in a ten-hour incident off the Isle of Wight on Sunday, safely reached Southampton Port earlier this morning (Monday).
A mayday was issued by the ship’s Captain on Sunday morning, but it was not until 7.30pm on Sunday night – on the approval of the Government – that 16 members of the Special Boat Services boarded the vessel to end the stand-off. The operation took nine minutes to complete.
Stowaways became verbally violent
The ship’s lawyers said the crew had been aware of the seven stowaways from Nigeria for sometime, but when the ship was off the coast of Bembridge, they became verbally violent.
When the mayday was issued the crew members retreated to the ship’s citadel. The lawyers continue to insist the incident was not an attempted hijacking.
Met by an ‘overwhelming force’
According to Jonathan Beale of the BBC, the multi-agency operation included a team of Royal Navy divers from one of the Royal Navy helicopters in case the vessel had been mined – but it had not.
Although very dark by 7.30pm, the SBS operation could be seen from Ventnor, with helicopters and boats surrounding the vessel during the operation. After the long stand-off, the stowaways were met by an ‘overwhelming force’ and it was all over in just nine minutes.
The 22 crew members were all found to be safe.
Stowaways handed to police
The ship’s captain was in control on the bridge throughout the ten-hour incident and an investigation is ongoing.
The seven stowaways, believed to be seeking asylum in the UK, were handed over to Hampshire Constabulary last night.
The movements of the ship could be tracked by the Shipfinder App, created on the Isle of Wight along with the Planefinder App, through out the day.
Image: © Shipfinder
