Seized oil tanker crew moved to Elgin and Aberdeen hotels before leaving Scotland

The crew on board a seized oil tanker linked to Venezuela were moved to hotels in Elgin and Aberdeen before they departed Scotland.

The Marinera was seized by the US in the North Atlantic earlier this month. The United States has accused the vessel of breaching economic sanctions by carrying oil for Venezuela, Russia and Iran.

The ship, previously known as Bella 1, was boarded south of Iceland and is now in the Moray Firth.

A court heard that Captain Avtandil Kalandadze, a Georgian national, and his first mate have been removed from UK waters by the US Coastguard.

The remaining 26 crew members were taken to the Army Reserve base in Inverness for processing and stayed the night at the Premier Inn in Elgin.

The Peace Coach arrived at The Aberdeen Dyce Hotel in Overton Circle. Jasper Images

They were then transported to the Aberdeen Dyce Hotel. Five voluntarily waited to travel to the US while 21 left for other countries.

Images taken outside the building shows the crew arriving on a Peace Coach and standing at the entrance of the hotel.

North East & Tayside

Captain of seized oil tanker ‘taken out of Scottish waters’ by US forces

Captain Avtandil Kalandadze and his first mate are now on a US Coast Guard vessel, court told

On Monday night Judge Lord Young passed an interim interdict, which prevented UK and Scottish authorities from removing Captain Kalandadze from Scotland pending further court proceedings.

The crew was processed at a reserve army base in Inverness before being transported to hotels in Elgin and Aberdeen. JasperImages

However, during a hearing held by Lord Young on Tuesday morning, it was revealed that both Mr Kalandadze and his first mate were on board the US Coast Guard vessel, outside UK waters.

This resulted in the interim interdict being recalled.