American special forces have utilized a small airfield in the remote north of Scotland to carry out a bold mission to seize an oil tanker connected to Venezuela. Tracking data from aircraft monitoring sites showed that US military planes landed at Wick John O’Groats airport before proceeding north toward Iceland.
Subsequently, American forces confirmed the capture of the Marinera, a Russian-flagged vessel previously known as Bella-1, which allegedly bypassed Donald Trump’s naval blockade of Venezuela. The US European Command later announced the seizure of the M/V Bella 1 for breaching US sanctions, following a warrant issued by a US federal court and tracking by USCGC Munro.
The Ministry of Defence acknowledged that British military forces supported the American operation by providing RAF surveillance capabilities and the RFA Tideforce support vessel. The US Air Force’s special operations command deployed U-28A planes for intelligence collection and coordination of other aircraft near Wick.
P8 Poseidon anti-submarine aircraft and KC-135 aerial refueling planes were also sighted heading towards the tanker’s location. Observers noted U-28A aircraft, including one identified as AGREE36, taking off from RAF Mildenhall before landing in Wick. This operation came after the Trump administration’s recent actions in Venezuela led to the ousting and arrest of then-president Nicolas Maduro.
Vladimir Putin’s attempts to protect the Marinera with a submarine and naval ships were unsuccessful, as American forces boarded the vessel. Russia’s Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the vessel receiving disproportionate attention from US and NATO forces, asserting the ship’s compliance with international maritime laws.
US and UK forces closely monitored the Marinera after it departed from the Caribbean two weeks ago, leading to heightened concerns due to its proximity to Venezuela. Wick John O’Groats airport, located at the northeastern edge of the Scottish mainland, is managed by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited.