TANKER BATTLE

>> Americans seize two >> Ireland 'monitoring' oil ships over sanctions after swoop in Atlantic

- BY CHRIS HUGHES and LUCY READE

IRELAND is monitoring the situation after American forces stormed a sanctions-busting Russian-flagged oil tanker in the vicinity of Irish waters, the Foreign Affairs Minister has said.

Helen McEntee said that while it had been reported that the Marinera, a Russian-flagged vessel previously known as Bella-1, was in or near Ireland's exclusive economic zone, it was now “far off” from it.

Several US military planes and British surveillance aircraft have been seen patrolling the skies in the vicinity of the oil tanker in recent days as it travelled through the North Atlantic.

Yesterday afternoon, the US military confirmed it had seized the Marinera in an dramatic high-seas showdown that was aided by British armed forces including RAF surveillance.

Asked about the tanker, Ms McEntee said: “It was widely reported that a particular vessel was sailing towards, or in and around the Irish economic zone.

AIRSPACE

“It's not unusual that there would be ships or fleets that would sail to or towards or in and around the economic zone.

“They're monitored by our own Defence Forces, and this vessel itself is now far off our economic zone, but we'll continue to monitor the situation.”

Ms McEntee also said that the Government had been in touch with the US embassy about reports of US military planes tracking the vessel and whether they were granted permission to fly in Irish airspace.