Seven men will face no further criminal action after suspected hijacking of oil tanker Nave Andromeda off Isle of Wight

Emergency services were alerted to concerns over the welfare of the crew of the 228-metre long vessel as the ship – sailing from Lagos, Nigeria – headed towards Southampton on Sunday, October 25.

Approximately 16 members of the Special Boat Service (SBS) secured the Nave Andromeda in nine minutes and detained seven Nigerian nationals, who were handed to Hampshire Police.

Two men who were charged and appeared in court as part of the ongoing Hampshire Constabulary led investigation into the maritime security incident.

The two men, Matthew John Okorie, 25, and Sunday Sylvester, 22, were charged with an offence relating to conduct endangering ships under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

But Hampshire police has now confirmed the men ‘will face no further action’.

Five other men, who were arrested on suspicion of seizing or exercising control of a ship by use of threats or force, remained on police bail until January 25, and will also face no further action.

They will remain detained under immigration powers.

‘We can confirm that seven men, including two men who had previously been charged and who had appeared in court, will now face no further action as part of the Hampshire Constabulary led investigation into the maritime security incident that took place on board the Nave Andromeda off the coast of the Isle of Wight,’ a police statement said.

This decision was taken by the Crown Prosecution Service after additional evidence came to light as part of the investigation.

Sophie Stevens, senior district crown prosecutor, said: ‘The CPS has a duty to keep all cases under continuous review and after additional maritime expert evidence came to light, we concluded there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction and discontinued the case.’

The SBS raid was authorised by defence secretary Ben Wallace and home secretary Priti Patel following a 10-hour stand-off while the tanker remained off the Isle of Wight.

The Home Office has criticised the decision with a spokesman saying the department was working with the CPS to address the issues in the case.

He said: ‘We are disappointed by this decision. It is frustrating that there will be no prosecution in relation to this very serious incident and the British people will struggle to understand how this can be the case.

‘The Home Office is working with the CPS urgently to resolve the issues raised by this case.

‘The immigration cases will be dealt with as quickly as possible and removal action will be pursued against anyone who has no right to remain in the UK.’

The ship’s operator, Navios Tanker Management, said the stowaways ‘illegally boarded’ the Liberian-flagged tanker in Lagos.

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