POLICE have requested military assistance in responding to reports of stowaways threatening the crew on board a crude oil tanker off the Isle of Wight.

The PA news agency understands Hampshire Police made the request as it deals with the unfolding situation on board the 228-metre Nave Andromeda.

Concerns were raised with police over the welfare of the ship’s crew, shortly after 10am on Sunday, the force said.

Police said the vessel, located around six miles off the coast of Bembridge on the Isle of Wight, had been travelling in the direction of Southampton.

It added in a statement on Sunday evening: “It was reported that a number of stowaways were on board, and they had made verbal threats towards the crew. No one has been reported injured.

“An exclusion zone, with a three mile radius, is currently in place near the vessel.”

Police are working alongside the Maritime & Coastguard Agency and Border Force in responding to the incident.

John Thompson, co-founder of Ambrey, a maritime security firm advising the ship’s Greek owners on Sunday, told the Financial Times that the incident was “definitely not a hijacking”.

“It’s stowaways who have got a bit rowdy with the crew,” he told the the newspaper.

According to maritime tracking websites, the Nave Andromeda had sailed from Lagos, Nigeria, on October 5.

It is understood the tanker had been expected to dock in Southampton at 10.30am on Sunday and that the port received contact from the ship but it had not been refused entry to the harbour.

Two coastguard helicopters were scrambled to the scene and spotted circling the ship on Sunday afternoon.