British forces detain and take control of the sanctioned oil tanker Smyrtos in the English Channel in an operation described by the UK Ministry of Defence as the first of its kind led by the United Kingdom. Multiple outlets report that Royal Marine commandos rappel from helicopters onto the vessel in early hours of Sunday, with the boarding taking place over several hours and running for roughly six hours. BBC News and PBS NewsHour describe the operation in which commandos secure the ship, while other reports add that specially trained law-enforcement officers from the National Crime Agency are involved alongside the Marines. Footage described by outlets including the Mirror and Daily Express shows personnel moving through parts of the tanker, including areas described as private quarters, using assault rifles. The tanker is described across sources as linked to Russia’s “shadow fleet,” a term used for vessels reportedly used to evade sanctions. The ship is the focus of the detention, with UK authorities treating it as suspected of having ties to sanctioned shipping activity, and the operation is portrayed by local outlets as a significant enforcement step in the Channel.