The RAF is reportedly involved in an emergency response after the Myra, an oil tanker subject to UK sanctions, issued a distress alert in the North Atlantic. The vessel was sailing hundreds of miles west of the Outer Hebrides when it reportedly sent an Inmarsat-C distress alert on Saturday, October 24, according to maritime tracking website Vesseltracker.
Response Underway
The Press and Journal reports that RAF Lossiemouth and Aberdeen Coastguard are involved in the response. A local Coastguard official confirmed that an operation was under way, the newspaper said.
According to Vesseltracker, the Russian-linked tanker was facing waves reaching 8.8 metres, almost 29ft, and wind gusts of up to 70 knots, equivalent to around 80mph.
Tanker Position and Condition
The tracking website placed the tanker around 270 to 290 nautical miles west of Northern Ireland and the Outer Hebrides. It reported that the vessel was continuing to travel at around nine knots despite the conditions. Vesseltracker also reported that nearby vessels capable of providing assistance had been asked to contact the UK Coastguard.
Robert Macleod, owner of Glasgow-based Ocean Risk Management, has been monitoring the ship using specialist satellite-tracking technology. He identified Myra as the vessel involved and told the Press and Journal that the information available to him suggested it was experiencing difficulties.
Sanctions Background
Myra is an oil products tanker reported to have sailed from Ust-Luga, a Russian port on the Baltic Sea, towards Port Said in Egypt. The vessel is subject to UK sanctions, with the UK government's sanctions designation citing reasonable grounds to suspect it has been involved in transporting Russian-origin oil or oil products from Russia to a third country.
The cause of the reported distress alert and the condition of the crew have not been independently confirmed.
