British special forces stormed an oil tanker in the English Channel on Sunday to wrestle back control of the vessel in a suspected hijacking incident.

Seven stir Ways is said to have threatened.

The crew is not immediately clear where the stairways came from or what their intentions were.

A Reuters source says troops from the Special Boat Service, a Navy special forces unit whose headquarters are located a few miles away from where the vessel began showing signs of distress, boarded the nave Andromeda near the Isle of Wight, just off England's south coast.

This ship is operated by a Greek company but flagged to Liberia after the operation.

The ministry also confirmed the crew a safe and well, but did not officially confirm or deny the involvement off the SBS in line with British government policy.

The operations off SPS kept highly confidential, with the closest equivalent in the United States being seal team six or Task Force Blue.