Sanctioned oil tanker enters UK waters day after government crackdown threat

An oil tanker sanctioned by the government has sailed through the English Channel - entering UK waters - a day after a threat from ministers that such vessels can be boarded by UK armed forces. At one point, the VAYU 1, which has been sanctioned for carrying oil from Russia, was around six nautical miles off Dover, according to ship-tracking data. It was tracked to this location on 26 March, the day after the government announced that UK forces had been given permission to board sanctioned ships transiting UK waters. When asked why it had not been stopped, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) told BBC Verify "any enforcement action is considered on a case‑by‑case basis". The Cameroon-flagged VAYU 1 began its journey from the Russian city of Murmansk on 10 March 2026, according to MarineTraffic. Data suggests it is carrying a full cargo. It first entered UK waters on 26 March at 12:39 GMT and its presence was spotted by a user on X. Its final destination is not listed on the ship-tracking website. The UK government added the VAYU 1 to its sanctions list in May 2025 due to suspected involvement in carrying Russian oil. The sanctions notice said the ship "is involved in activity whose object