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Legal representatives have approached a Scottish court to prevent the deportation of Avtandil Kalandadze, the captain of the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, following its confiscation by US authorities in the North Atlantic. The captain’s wife has initiated legal proceedings at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, seeking an immediate injunction to stop both the removal of Kalandadze and the ship from UK waters to the United States. Lawyers contend that the detention breaches the European Convention on Human Rights and argue that the US should pursue extradition through formal channels rather than direct removal.
The Marinera was boarded by US agents on 7 January while sailing south of Iceland and has since remained moored in Scotland’s Moray Firth, with a US Coast Guard vessel providing escort. It is understood that the tanker is slated for transfer to the United States. The US government accuses the vessel of violating sanctions by transporting oil from countries including Venezuela, Russia, and Iran. UK officials have expressed support for the operation, describing it as a lawful response to a vessel involved in sanction breaches.
The UK Ministry of Defence has played a supporting role, including granting US aircraft use of UK airfields, some located in Scotland, during the operation. Meanwhile, Moscow has strongly condemned the seizure, demanding appropriate treatment of Russian nationals aboard and their swift repatriation. The Russian transport ministry stated the vessel had received temporary permission to fly the Russian flag and asserted that no state had the right to use force against vessels legitimately registered under another nation’s jurisdiction.
Human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar, representing Kalandadze’s wife, expressed concerns about the captain’s safety and highlighted that he is effectively barred from accessing Scottish courts to defend his rights under Articles 5 and 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Anwar revealed that following the submission of a petition for judicial review, the captain and deputy, along with 26 other multinational crew members, may have been removed from the ship. Legal papers are being served on multiple parties including the Scottish and UK governments, the US administration, and President Donald Trump. Anwar cited Trump’s recent comment, “I don’t need international law,” to emphasize the need for adherence to international treaties, recalling the US’s prior cooperation with Scotland on matters such as the 1988 Lockerbie bombing. The lawyer criticized the removal as an unlawful abduction facilitated with UK assistance and announced an emergency legal order is being sought to prevent further removal actions until a full court hearing takes place.
On the political front, Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney expressed deep concern at learning of the tanker’s presence in the Moray Firth through media reports rather than official channels. He criticized the communication between the Scottish government and the UK authorities over the incident as “absolutely appalling” and described engaging the UK government on key security matters as “incredibly difficult.” Swinney disclosed he had sought detailed briefings from the UK Prime Minister and raised questions about the responsibility of Scottish law officers concerning the vessel in Scottish waters. Notably, Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander reportedly offered Swinney a meeting, which the latter declined. Swinney responded sharply to Alexander’s letter, stating that the refusal to engage implied the situation was “none of my business.”
During the operation on 7 January, US military aircraft reportedly used small civilian airports in Wick, Caithness, and Benbecula in the Western Isles. The MoD confirmed support from the Royal Navy tanker RFA Tideforce and RAF surveillance aircraft to US personnel, noting the priority of counteracting Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.” The Marinera remained anchored off Burghead, a coastal village in the Moray Firth, a protected stretch of sea located between the east Highland coast and the Moray and Aberdeenshire coastlines
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