Royal Navy issued warning as warship raced to rescue vessel

A DRAMATIC recording released yesterday has revealed the tense moment when the Iranian Revolutionary Guard seized the Stena Impero oil tanker – and the inability of the Royal Navy to prevent them.

The 50,000 ton British-flagged tanker was captured by Iran on Friday with Britain’s only warship in the region, the Type 23 frigate HMS Montrose, about one hour away.

The recording shows that the tanker was in international waters in the Strait of Hormuz and that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps pretended to be carrying out an inspection.

The tape begins with a Revolutionary Guard officer telling the skipper of the tanker: “You are OK.You will be safe if you obey. Alter your course to 360 degrees immediately.”

An officer from HMS Montrose cuts in and sends a message to the Stena Impero, saying: “I reiterate that as you are conducting transit passage in a recognised international strait, under international law your passage must not be impaired, impeded, obstructed or hampered.

“Please confirm that you are conducting passage in this recognised international strait, over.”

But the Iranians continue to tell the tanker to change course.Video footage broadcast on Iranian state TV later shows six balaclava-clad Iranian troops abseiling down from a helicopter on to the deck of the Stena Impero and Iranian patrol boats swarming after the tanker. “This is British warship Foxtrot 236. Sir, your requests that you are transmitting to the Stena Impero hinders and impedes her passage.

“You must not impair, impede, obstruct or hamper the passage of the MV Stena Impero.

“Please confirm that you are not intending to violate international law by unlawfully attempting to board the MV Stena Impero.”

But the Iranians replied by telling the merchant vessel: “If you obey, you will be safe.Alter your course.”

Despite the repeated warnings from the officer on HMS Montrose, the Iranians whisked the tanker north to their home port in Bandar Abbas.