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U.S. forces have secured the runaway Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, a U.S. official has confirmed to TWZ. Elements of the U.S. Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and other American aviation assets had previously deployed to the United Kingdom ahead of an apparent effort to board the ship. Readers can get caught up on the pursuit with our latest coverage here.
Personnel from the U.S. military and the U.S. Coast Guard carried out the boarding operation, according to reports from Reuters and The Wall Street Journal. Russian news outlet RT had earlier released imagery said to have been taken from the deck of the Marinera showing an MH-6 Little Bird helicopter, a type operated by the 160th SOAR, approaching the ship.
In the past several hours, open source flight tracking had also shown a large number of aircraft from bases in the United Kingdom heading north toward where the ship is located.
UPDATE 1200Z 07/JAN/2026 – We’ve confirmed a few of the earlier RAF flights are involved in other routine operations, but we now have a confirmed stream of US support aircraft, ISTAR and other platforms heading for the UK-Iceland gap, likely staging for the tanker Op!#BELLA1… https://t.co/knpNOL2oNKpic.twitter.com/wX2dBUluUQ
Ship tracking data available online had also shown the Marinera, which had been shadowed by a wide range of aviation assets and a U.S. Coast Guard cutter for weeks now, making a sharp turn to the south in the direction of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Marinera (IMO 9230880) formally Bella 1 made a sudden southbound turn at 11:26 UTC near 60.9386N, 16.37014W, slowing from ~9 kn to ~8 kn.
Known until recently as the Bella-1 before it was re-registered and the crew painted a Russian flag on it, the Marinera is part of a so-called shadow fleet. These vessels are accused of transporting oil for Russia, Iran, and Venezuela in violation of sanctions imposed by the United States and other countries. On December 20, the Coast Guard had previously attempted to board the ship, which is not carrying any oil at present, as it headed toward Venezuela. However, the crew refused to allow it, and the ship began sailing back toward Europe. Reports earlier this week said that new U.S. plans to interdict the boat had subsequently been drawn up, tied to the aforementioned deployment of special operations forces and other assets to the United Kingdom.
The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that the Russian military had sent a submarine and other naval assets to escort the Marinera. Reuters has reported that Russian Navy vessels were in the vicinity when the boarding operation occurred.
Where the Marinera may now be headed and what its ultimate fate may be remains to be seen.
TWZ will continue to update this story as it develops.
Update: 9:14 AM Eastern –
U.S. European Command released a statement about the seizure on X.
It has been pointed out that Little Birds are not capable of being refueled in flight and likely would not have had the range to reach the tanker from bases on land in the region. It is more likely that any MH-6s involved in this operation launched from a ship closer by. The 160th SOAR is known to train to operate its Little Birds from Coast Guard cutters. Night Stalker helicopters also have a long history of flying from U.S. Navy ships, including recently during the operation to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro.
A Little Bird aboard the Coast Guard cutter Diligence during a 2023 interdiction mission. (USCG)
We have reached out to the Pentagon and U.S. Coast Guard for more details and will update this story with any pertinent information provided.
Update: 9:32 AM Eastern –
The U.K. Defense Ministry (MoD) provided us with a statement about its aircraft observed over the North Atlantic.
“Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon fighter aircraft were launched on 6 Jan from RAF Lossiemouth…after unidentified aircraft were tracked flying towards UK airspace. The aircraft remained outside of our area of interest (UK FIR) and no intercept took place. The launch of RAF QRA aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth and supporting AAR Voyager from RAF Brize Norton was not associated with any form of maritime surveillance operations.”
Update: 9:36 AM Eastern –
War Secretary Pete Hegseth weighed in on the seizure, saying that “the blockade of sanctioned and illicit Venezuelan oil remains in FULL EFFECT – anywhere in the world.” The Marinera, however, never arrived in port and was not carrying any fuel.
Meanwhile, as the seizure of the Marinera was taking place, the U.S. also boarded another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean, according to U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
“In a pre-dawn action this morning, the Department of War, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended a stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker without incident,” SOUTHCOM announced on X. “The interdicted vessel, M/T Sophia, was operating in international waters and conducting illicit activities in the Caribbean Sea. The U.S. Coast Guard is escorting M/T Sophia to the U.S. for final disposition. Through Operation Southern Spear, the Department of War is unwavering in its mission to crush illicit activity in the Western Hemisphere. We will defend our Homeland and restore security and strength across the Americas.”
In a pre-dawn action this morning, the Department of War, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended a stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker without incident.
The interdicted vessel, M/T Sophia, was operating in international waters and… pic.twitter.com/JQm9gHprPk
Officials in the U.K. would likely have had to sign off on this operation, The Times reported.
The British government would have given the green light for the American mission to seize a Venezuela-linked oil tanker, a senior UK military source tells @thetimeshttps://t.co/RNMph9P1zz
British aviation journalist Gareth Jennings notes that the Little Birds can be equipped with a 62-gallon auxiliary fuel tank, giving them an operating radius of about 670 kilometers (about 416 miles).
They can be equipped with a 62 US gallon auxiliary Goliath fuel tank to double the capacity of the 62 US gallon main fuel tank. Would give an approx 670 km operating radius.
There are several ways Little Birds can take part in a mission like this, as our editor-in-chief Tyler Rogoway notes.
Update: 9:57 AM Eastern –
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also released a statement, confirming that the Coast Guard Legend class cutter trailing the Marinerawe wrote about yesterday was the Munro.
“One of these tankers, Motor Tanker Bella I, has been trying to evade the Coast Guard for weeks, even changing its flag and painting a new name on the hull while being pursued, in a desperate and failed attempt to escape justice,” Noem stated on X. “The heroic crew of the USCGC Munro pursued this vessel across the high seas and through treacherous storms— keeping diligent watch, and protecting our country with the determination and patriotism that make Americans proud. These brave men and women deserve our nation’s thanks for their selfless devotion to duty.”
In two predawn operations today, the Coast Guard conducted back-to-back meticulously coordinated boarding of two “ghost fleet” tanker ships— one in the North Atlantic Sea and one in international waters near the Caribbean. Both vessels —the Motor Tanker Bella I and the Motor… pic.twitter.com/EZlHEtcufX
“In accordance with the norms of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, a regime of freedom of navigation operates in the waters of the high seas, and no state has the right to use force against ships properly registered in the jurisdictions of other states,” the message said.
“According to the department, the ship received a temporary permit to sail under the Russian state flag on December 24th,” the official Russian RIA Novosti media outlet reported on Telegram. The vessel was boarded at 3 p.m. local time (7 a.m. Eastern).
The first official statement from the Russian government following the seizure of Russia-flagged MARINERA / BELLA-1 tanker by the United States.
Russian Ministry of Transport refers to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea:
— Status-6 (War & Military News) (@Archer83Able) January 7, 2026
Update: 10:39 AM Eastern –
Flight tracking data claims to show that U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) AC-130J Ghostrider gunships were overhead during the Marinera operation. While we can’t independently confirm this, TWZ has written about the value Ghostriders can bring to this kind of maritime interdiction operation, which you can read about here.
Ok so we have N103MC, and N167MC. We’ll have to find more.
I totally think these are tactical regs/hexes they are using for ops. https://t.co/imxwlH2gfY
As we previously reported, these aircraft arrived at RAF Mildenhall on Sunday. Local photographer Andrew McKelvey shared some photos of one of those Ghostriders, ARSON17, taking off from Mildenhall at about 9:45 a.m. local time (4:45 a.m. Eastern). AFSOC declined comment.
In a post on his Truth Social site yesterday, Trump explained that Venezuela will be turning over tens of millions of barrels of oil to the U.S. to sell.
“I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,” Trump proclaimed on Truth Social. “This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be controlled by me, as President of the United States of America, to ensure it is used to benefit the people of Venezuela and the United States! I have asked Energy Secretary Chris Wright to execute this plan, immediately. It will be taken by storage ships, and brought directly to unloading docks in the United States.”
( @realDonaldTrump – Truth Social Post ) ( Donald J. Trump – Jan 06 2026, 6:46 PM ET )
I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the Unit… pic.twitter.com/OKsLNqPShe
— Donald J Trump Posts TruthSocial (@TruthTrumpPost) January 7, 2026
Update: 12:04 AM Eastern –
The rhetoric from Moscow about the Marinera operation is ramping up.
“We need to attack with torpedoes and sink a couple of American patrol boats,” Alexei Zhuravlev, the first deputy head of the State Duma’s Defense Committee, said today. “The U.S. needs a military response to the Marinera situation. The U.S., which is enjoying a kind of euphoria of impunity after the special operation in Venezuela, can only be stopped now with a slap in the face like this.”
Update: 12:42 PM Eastern –
During her afternoon briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked several questions about the seizure of the Marinera, as well as the Sophia. She was also queried about whether she had any information about the Russian submarine that The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday said was deployed to escort the ship. Below are some of those interactions.
Q: Russia specifically asked the United States not to seize that tanker. Does this action risk a larger conflict with Russia?
A: The vessel this morning was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. Federal Court after being tracked, and this was a Venezuelan shadow fleet vessel that has transported sanctioned oil. And the United States of America under this president is not going to tolerate that. I would also just add the vessel had a judicial seizure order and the crew, so that means the crew is now subject to prosecution for any applicable violation of federal law, and they will be brought to the United States for such prosecution.
Q: Are you concerned about increasing tensions with Russia because of the tanker?
A: “…with respect to these ships seizures, that means enforcing the embargo against all Dark Fleet vessels that are illegally transporting oil and only legitimate commerce. To answer your question … that’s the policy of this administration, and he’s not afraid to implement it.
Q: Was there any engagement with that submarine … and what is the deconfliction on the Russian use ahead of that type of warning package?
A: Again, this was a Venezuelan shadow fleet vessel that has transported sanctioned oil. The vessel was deemed stateless after flying a false flag, and it had a judicial seizure order, and that’s why the crew will be subject to prosecution.
Update: 12:57 PM Eastern –
The U.K. “provided enabling support to the United States at their request to interdict the vessel,” according to the MoD, which is using the ship’s previous name to reference it.
“U.K. armed forces provided pre-planned operational support, including basing, to U.S. military assets interdicting the Bella 1 between the U.K. and Iceland following a U.S. request for assistance,” the MoD said in a statement. “RFA Tideforce is providing support for U.S. forces pursuing and interdicting the Bella 1, while the RAF provided surveillance support from the air.”
“This ship, with a nefarious history, is part of a Russian-Iranian axis of sanctions evasion which is fuelling terrorism, conflict, and misery from the Middle East to Ukraine,” Defense Secretary John Healey said. “The UK will continue to step up our action against shadow fleet activity to protect our national security, our economy, and global stability – making Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”
“Deterring and disrupting the Russian shadow fleet is a priority for the U.K.,” MoD added. “To date, we have imposed sanctions on 520 Russian shadow fleet vessels. This is working. For example, Russia’s critical oil revenues are down 27% compared to October 2024, the lowest since the start of the war in Ukraine.”
Update: 1:57 PM Eastern –
Speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill in between Congressional briefings on Venezuela, Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that the Venezuelans want the oil from the seized tanker Sophia to be part of the aforementioned deal Trump stated on Truth Social.
NEW: Sec. Hegseth and Sec. Rubio speak after Senate briefing on Venezuela:
“They want that oil that was seized to be part of this deal. They understand that the only way they can move oil and generate revenue and not have economic collapse is if they cooperate and work with the… pic.twitter.com/EbUz1LNaA4
“We are going to take between 30 and 50 million barrels of oil. We’re going to sell it in the marketplace at market rates, not at the discounts Venezuela was getting. That money will then be handled in such a way that we will control how it is dispersed in a way that benefits the… pic.twitter.com/HdUEYRi8zO
1 of 2 | A member of the U.S. Coast Guard keeps watch on the Marinera, formerly known as the M/V Bella 1, in the North Atlantic. Photo courtesy of U.S. European Command
Jan. 7 (UPI) — The United States on Wednesday said that it seized two oil tankers — a Russian-flagged vessel in the North Atlantic and another in the Caribbean Sea.
U.S. Southern Command said, in coordination with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, it “apprehended a stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker without incident.”
SOUTHCOM accused the vessel, the M/T Sophia, of carrying out “illicit activities” in international waters in the Caribbean Sea. In a post on X, the agency said the U.S. Coast Guard was escorting the vessel to the United States for “final disposal.”
U.S. European Command, meanwhile, announced it seized the Russian-flagged Mariners — formerly known as the M/V Bella 1 — a vessel it had been chasing across the Atlantic Ocean since December.
EUCOM, in a post on X, said it seized the tanker for violating U.S. sanctions and transporting Iranian oil.
“The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court after being tracked by USCGC Munro,” the agency said.
U.S. officials said Russia sent two naval ships and a submarine to escort the Marinera, which was between Iceland and Britain, heading northeast.
The United States deployed at least 10 special-ops military aircraft and transporter aircraft thought to be carrying helicopters to RAF bases in Britain in recent days, possibly in preparation for an interdiction.
The U.S. Coast Guard attempted to execute a warrant to seize the tanker in the Caribbean in December, when it was believed to be headed to Venezuela in contravention of a partial U.S. blockade.
The ship’s final destination was thought to be the Baltic Sea, or possibly the Russian port of Murmansk on the Barents Sea.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said it was monitoring the situation with “concern” and complained about what it said was unwarranted attention from the United States and its NATO allies.
The vessel refused to permit the Coast Guard to board on its first attempt Dec. 21 when it was en route from Iran to collect oil from Venezuela, changed course and headed back out into the Atlantic.
On the way, it painted a Russian flag on the hull, changed its name from Bella 1 to “Marinera” and listed on a Russian shipping registry, in a bid to shake off its U.S. pursuers.
The New York Times reported that Hyperion and at least three other vessels plying the Venezuela route, employed similar stealth tactics, swapping their original flags for Russian ones — exacerbating already tense relations strained over the U.S. attack on Venezuela which is backed by Moscow.
All the ships are suspected of being part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” moving Russian, Iranian and Venezuelan oil subject to sanctions imposed by the United States, European Union and other countries around the world.
The Russian Maritime Shipping Registry records show the ships, which are all sanctioned by the United States for transporting Iranian or Russian oil, changed their home ports to Sochi or Taganrog in southern Russia and switched flags.
Supporters of ousted Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro carry his portrait during a rally outside the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, on January 5, 2026. Photo by Jonathan Lanza/UPI | License Photo
Virgin Atlantic will start daily direct flights from London Heathrow to Seoul from 29 March, with the South Korean city named favourite destination by millennials and Gen Z for the fourth year running
10:19, 23 Dec 2025Updated 10:21, 23 Dec 2025
K-Star Road in Gangnam is a must-visit for K-Pop fans(Image: Getty)
Virgin Atlantic is set to launch a new direct route from London Heathrow to Seoul, a city that’s become a must-visit for many millennials. The airline has confirmed that daily flights to the South Korean capital will commence from 29 March.
This exciting news follows Seoul being crowned the Favourite Worldwide City at the 2025 Trazees Awards, an accolade it has now won four years running. The awards celebrate destinations and brands that resonate with millennials and Gen Z travellers, highlighting Seoul’s appeal to the under 40s.
A key factor in attracting younger tourists to Seoul could be the global rise of K-Pop. With Korean bands like BTS dominating music charts and K-Pop Demon Hunters becoming Netflix’s most-watched film ever, 2025 was a landmark year for the genre.
K-Pop enthusiasts visiting Seoul can explore K-Star Road in Gangnam, the district immortalised by PSY’s 2012 smash hit Gangnam Style. This vibrant shopping street features giant bear statues, each one symbolising a different K-Pop band who’ve hit the big time, reports the Express.
Another must-see is the Starfield COEX Mall, home to shops like the expansive KTown4U, brimming with K-Pop merchandise. It even boasts a massive Gangnam Style statue depicting the dance’s iconic crossed hands pose, providing the perfect backdrop for a memorable photo.
Seoul, a city of the future, is renowned for its colossal shopping centres like Times Square, home to the mammoth Shinsegae Department Store and multiple floors filled with shops, eateries, cafes, and even a hotel. Don’t forget to head to the rooftop for breathtaking views of the city.
For an unparalleled view, make your way to the Lotte World Tower. Standing at 123-storeys and 555 metres, it’s not only South Korea’s tallest building but also the sixth tallest globally.
Daredevils can visit the Seoul Sky observatory for panoramic vistas and walk on the glass floor where just a couple of panes separate you from a dizzying drop below.
Despite its futuristic reputation, Seoul also boasts numerous well-preserved historical sites. Gyeongbokgung, a former Royal palace dating back to 1395, features a vibrant interior adorned with traditional artwork.
You’ll see locals donning national costumes, and if timed right, you can witness the twice-daily changing of the guard ceremony. Gyeongbokgung also houses the National Folk Museum of Korea and the National Palace Museum of Korea, both excellent spots to delve into the country’s history and view ancient artefacts.
At Bukchon Hanok Village, you can gain insights into the lives of ordinary Koreans throughout history. Meander down winding streets lined with over 900 traditional homes, some centuries old, alongside artisan shops offering souvenirs crafted using time-honoured techniques passed down through generations.
No trip to Seoul would be complete without a visit to one of its bustling markets. The Myeongdong Night Market, open until 1am, is the perfect spot to taste local delicacies and snag vibrant keepsakes.
Be sure to try tteok-bokki, a rice cake smothered in a sweet and spicy fish sauce, Korean hot dogs encrusted with cheese and panko breadcrumbs, and flame-grilled skewered meats.
Each of Seoul’s districts boasts its own distinctive charm, making it easy to find an area that aligns with your travel preferences. Luxury seekers might gravitate towards the high-end district of Gangnam, while shopaholics will love the central location of Myeongdong, surrounded by numerous shopping centres.
Itaewon offers a lively atmosphere with an international flair, renowned for its vibrant nightlife, whereas Insa-dong provides a more traditional experience with weekend markets and street performances.
Virgin Atlantic’s new flight path to South Korea will utilise the airline’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, offering economy, premium economy, and upper class seating options. This latest addition to their routes marks Virgin Atlantic’s ongoing efforts to diversify its destinations beyond its typical transatlantic flights, with new paths to Ghana and the Caribbean also recently announced.
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