Dramatic scenes as GB News goes up close to a seized Russian shadow tanker

An oil tanker operating as part of Russia’s shadow fleet in the English Channel has been seized by the Royal Navy for the first time.

The tanker is anchored around three miles off the Dorset coast near Weymouth.

From the cliff tops, it’s clear to see the sheer size of this vessel.

But GB News wanted to see the seized tanker, Smyrtos, up close and personal.

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GB News' National Reporter Will Godley boarded a speedboat in Weymouth - and tasked the skipper with taking him 3 miles out - to where the tanker was anchored.

The captain, Morgan, told the people's Channel he would not be allowed closer than 100 metres, but he didn't want to risk upsetting the navy and said he would only take the boat to 150 metres.

Morgan put his foot on the gas - he travelled at speeds of up to 20 knots, and it took no longer than 20 minutes to navigate the choppy seas of Weymouth Bay and venture closer to Smyrtos.

And up close, it dwarfed the two Royal Navy ships tasked with guarding the seized vessel.

It’s as long as two football pitches and can carry more than 700,000 barrels of Russian oil, which could sell at market for over £40million.

So it’s no wonder there was so much security. But this broadcaster found out the hard way just how strict they were.

When the boat was still 500 metres away, a Royal Navy speedboat raced towards them.

The soldiers on board - armed with semi-automatic assault rifles - shouted commands to turn around and not come any closer.

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Will had to hand over his press credentials and be escorted further away by a police boat, where he was briefly allowed to broadcast.

But this level of security provided the People's Channel with a clear indication of what the Government might be thinking.

Firstly, just what an important asset the Ministry of Defence believes this vessel to be.

And secondly, the lengths it will go to stop anyone from getting near, perhaps worried Russia might try to take this tanker back.

Of course, it’s just one small cog in the big wheel of their shadow tanker fleet - but now a symbol of the even stronger crackdown the British Government is taking against Russia.

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