UK seizes tanker after 'suspected hijacking': Update

Recasts and adds details throughout

UK armed forces have gained control of an oil tanker involved in a "suspected hijacking" off the southern coast of England, the Ministry of Defence said. Seven people have been detained.

Defence secretary Ben Wallace and home secretary Priti Patel authorised the military operation in response to a request from police. Concerns about the welfare of crew on board the Liberian-flagged Nave Andromeda were raised to police at 10:04 GMT today.

The vessel was around six miles off the coast of Bembridge on the Isle of Wight and had been travelling in the direction of Southampton when the alarm was raised. "It was reported that a number of stowaways were on board, and they had made verbal threats towards the crew," Hampshire police said.

The Nave Andromeda had been due to dock in Southampton this morning having set off from Nigeria earlier this month, according to vessel tracking app MarineTraffic. ExxonMobil has a marine terminal located within the Port of Southampton that handles crude and oil product shipments for the firm's 270,000 b/d Fawley refinery.

By James Keates