US seizes Russian-flagged tanker in Atlantic as UK confirms it gave support to operation

Tracking military aircraft near Marinera oil tanker

BBC Verify has been monitoring military flights around the area of the North Atlantic where the Marinera has been seized by US authorities.

Tracking data from sites including FlightRadar24 show three Pilatus U-28A Draco aircraft en route from Wick Airport in Scotland to Reykjavik in Iceland.

Earlier today, the same aircraft flew from RAF Mildenhall in England. These planes are typically used by US Air Force Special Operations Command for reconnaissance and other specialist missions.

Available flight records show they have been primarily active in North America over the last two years.

Several other US aircraft have flown around the west coast of Scotland and south of Iceland, including a Poseidon reconnaissance plane and a Boeing KC-135T Stratotanker used for refuelling. The Stratotanker has now turned back towards RAF Mildenhall, from where it departed earlier today.

It is unclear if all of these flights are involved with monitoring the Marinera. But the area of operation corresponds with the location of the oil tanker during this period.