Captain of Russian shadow fleet tanker intercepted in Channel charged

The captain of a Russian shadow fleet oil tanker which was intercepted by Royal Marine Commandos in the English Channel on Sunday has been charged with contravening sanctions, the National Crime Agency said. Ajay Pant, a 38-year-old Indian national, is due to appear at Southampton Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. Twenty-four crew members remain on the vessel, the MV Smyrtos, which is being held off the coast of Weymouth. The NCA said the vessel's captain had been charged with "contravening Reg 46Z9B Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 by directly or indirectly supplying or delivering by ship prohibited oil/oil products from Russia to a third country". Sunday's six-hour operation, which saw commandos fast-roping from a helicopter on to the tanker and was supported by the Royal Air Force, was the first of its kind carried out by UK armed forces. Earlier on Monday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander issued an order formally preventing the MV Smyrtos from leaving the UK. Russia uses hundreds of oil tankers - known as its "shadow fleet" - which are sanctioned by the UK and other Western states over its invasion of Ukraine. More than 500 such ships have been sanctioned by the UK