Overview
- The captain, Avtandil Kalandadze, and his first officer were transferred to the US Coast Guard cutter Munro and left the United Kingdom’s territorial sea, a Scottish court was told.
- Lord Young recalled an interim interdict that briefly barred UK and Scottish authorities from allowing the men’s removal after confirmation they were already outside the court’s jurisdiction.
- Twenty-six remaining crew members were brought ashore and processed in Inverness; Police Scotland said none sought asylum, five chose to travel to the United States, and others arranged return to their home countries.
- Russia’s foreign ministry said two Russian sailors from the crew were released and are returning to Russia.
- Scottish First Minister John Swinney said the US withdrew a mutual legal assistance request on January 26 and that Scottish or UK authorities never detained or controlled the vessel, even as the government supports enforcing international sanctions.