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Isle of Wight: Police ask for military help over stowaways security incident on tanker

Police have requested military assistance to try to resolve a security incident involving stowaways aboard an oil tanker off the Isle of Wight.

Seven stowaways - thought to be from Nigeria - are onboard, Richard Meade, editor of shipping news journal Lloyd's List, told Sky News.

Hampshire Police said concerns for the welfare of the crew of the Nave Andromeda were reported at 10.04am on Sunday.

The vessel went into an erratic zig-zagging pattern at about 10.45am, tracker images showed.

"It was reported that a number of stowaways were on board, and they had made verbal threats towards the crew. No one has been reported injured," the force added.

The vessel is approximately six miles off the coast of Bembridge and had been travelling towards Southampton, police said.

There is an exclusion zone around the vessel with a three mile radius.

According to Mr Meade, crew members found the stowaways and tried to lock them in a cabin but the situation became violent and the alarm was raised.

He added that the group are believed to have entered the ship through the rudder trunk.

Sky's home affairs correspondent, Mark White, said at least half a dozen stowaways were discovered at some point on Sunday and that crew were sheltering at secure points on the ship.

The vessel was due to dock in Southampton at 10.30am and a Coastguard helicopter has been circling above.

Hampshire Police has deployed its own helicopter over the Isle of Wight, while a military Chinook was seen taking off this evening.

Local MP Bob Seely told Sky News he expects the incident will be handled by marine counter-terrorism forces and it is likely that a COBRA emergency meeting has been held or is due to be held.

It is also likely that authorities will be planning how to get onto the ship, he added.

"They will be looking at the ship's registration, who's on it, what it is carrying, how many stowaways there are, can they get in contact with the crew if they can't get in contact with the skipper," he said.

The 228-metre long ship is carrying 42,000 tonnes of crude oil and left Lagos, Nigeria, on 6 October before heading for Southampton.

The vessel had made a number of zig-zags around the area just off the Isle of Wight within a couple of hours, according to Marine Traffic.

It is registered in Liberia and operated by Greek shipping firm Folegrandos.

This does not mean, however, that it is a Liberian ship as vessels can be registered anywhere that is recognised by the international shipping authorities.

Sky's Mark White said the the route is well-known for people smuggling, with immigrants coming from countries such as Iran, Iraq, Nigeria and Somalia - but the investigation is still in its early stages.

Mr Seely said the ship is visible from the eastern coast of the Isle of Wight, but residents should not be concerned for their safety.

The Coastguard confirmed it is assisting police, and search and rescue helicopters from Lee on Solent and Lydd are attending the incident.

A spokeswoman for Associated British Ports (ABP) said it had no comment on the incident, but the PA news agency understands the port received contact from the ship although it had not been refused entry to the harbour.

Home Secretary Priti Patel is being kept informed about the incident, according to Sky's political correspondent, Joe Pike.

In December 2018, British forces stormed an Italian cargo ship and regained control after stowaways threatened crew members as it sailed in the Thames Estuary.