US planes at Wick airport during operation to seize tanker

Military aircraft landed at a small Highland airport before flying north during a US Coast Guard operation to board a Russia-bound tanker in the North Atlantic.

The Marinera has been accused by the US of breaking its sanctions on the shipping of Iranian oil, and historically the vessel has transported Venezuelan crude oil.

BBC Scotland News understands at least three US Air Force planes – U-28A Dracos – took off from RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk and landed at Wick John O’Groats Airport at about 11:00 before leaving at about midday.

The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) said Royal Navy tanker RFA Tideforce and RAF surveillance aircraft supported the US operation.

The MoD said the the ship was on its way to Russia.

The Scottish government, which owns Wick airport, has been approached for comment.

Military and foreign policy matters fall under UK government powers.

The US has accused the Russian-flagged Marinera of trying to “evade the Coast Guard for weeks”.

A second tanker, the Sophia, has been boarded near the Caribbean.

US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the ships were “either last docked in Venezuela or en route to it”.

The operation follows the seizing of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro by US special forces last week.

Flight tracking websites showed US special operations aircraft landing at Wick John O’Groats before flying further north towards Iceland on Wednesday.

The U-28A aircraft are flown by the US Air Force’s special operations command and are used for intelligence-gathering and coordinating other aircraft.

The airport at Wick is a civilian site operated by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.

The MoD said UK Armed Forces provided “pre-planned operational support”, including bases, to the US military.

UK Defence Secretary John Healey said the Marinera, formerly known as Bella 1, was intercepted while on its way to Russia.

He said: “This action formed part of global efforts to crack down on sanctions busting.”

The Russian transport ministry said the tanker only had “a temporary permission” to fly the Russian flag, and that “no state has the right to use force against vessels properly registered in other countries’ jurisdictions”.

Russian officials have not commented on reports saying that Moscow had sent a submarine to protect the tanker.