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Crew describe moment special forces took down armed migrants on cargo ship

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The dramatic moment special forces abseiled onto a hijacked cargo shop and took down four armed migrants has been revealed by crew members.

Members of the Special Boat Service, sister regiment to the SAS, boarded the Grande Tema at around 11pm last night in an operation that was very fast and quick.

The armed migrants were demanding the 71,000 tonne container ship navigate closer to the coast so they could swim to shore.

Grande Tema SBS in control off Essex coast this morning. Pix (c) copyright 22.12.18 Scott Huntley 07973 208461 16 CM3 4RP

Special forces boarded the Grande Tema at around 11pm yesterday (Picture: Scott Huntley)

A view of the Grimaldi Lines' Grande Tema docked at the Port of Tilbury, Essex, following special forces storming the ship which was hijacked by migrants off the Kent coast. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Saturday December 22, 2018. See PA story POLICE Estuary. Four men have been detained under the Immigration Act after police boarded a cargo ship amid reports of stowaways threatening crew. Photo credit should read: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

The ship docked in Tilbury after the stowaways were overpowered (Picture: PA)

Paul Kyprianou, a spokesman for the Grimaldi shipping company which owns the vessel, said the crew were asked to switch off the lights before the special forces stormed the ship.

The Special Boat Service, which is a unit of the British Navy, boarded the vessel with a helicopter, he said.

It was 12 men, they boarded and they neutralised the four stowaways.

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After that another helicopter with six police men came and they kept them in a cabin waiting for the vessel to get in to Tilbury.

It was at about 11pm last night and it took about 20 minutes.

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He said the crew members locked themselves away in the bridge of the vessel and that there had been no physical contact between the two groups.

Speaking to LBC, Mr Kyprianou said: We sometimes have stowaways but its extremely rare that they act in this way.

What they want to do is reach Europe so this is their aim, so I dont know if they knew they were in the UK, but they knew they were in Europe.

The four stowaways had been found by crew members four days ago after leaving Lagos, Nigeria and the crew gave them accommodation and food as required under international regulations.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Martin Dalton/REX (10039870n) The Ro-Ro Container ship Grande Tema arrives at Tilbury from Lagos. Grande Tema container ship arrives at Tilbury docks, Essex, UK - 22 Dec 2018 The ship was raided by members of the Special Boat Service to detain four Nigerian migrants who threatened the ships crew with iron bars.

The vessel was circling in the Thames Estuary for around 12 hours (Pictures: Rex Features)

The vessel was circling in the Thames Estuary for around 12 hours before police boarded.

Mr Kyprianou said: At the beginning they werent violent. We gave them accommodation and food.

They were calm but then when the vessel was closer to shore they changed their behaviour.

They were young and they were African. We dont know the nationality.

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Martin Dalton/REX (10039870p) The Ro-Ro Container ship Grande Tema arrives at Tilbury from Lagos. Grande Tema container ship arrives at Tilbury docks, Essex, UK - 22 Dec 2018 The ship was raided by members of the Special Boat Service to detain four Nigerian migrants who threatened the ships crew with iron bars.

Crew gave the armed migrants accommodation and food as required under international regulations
(Pictures: Rex Features)

They probably managed to board the vessel in Lagos but we do not have information regarding the nationality.

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Mr Kyprianou added: We had no clashes, no injuries, no nothing, everything went smoothly.

Last night, Essex police said: We have now secured a vessel in the Thames Estuary.

Four men have been detained under the Immigration Act.

The vessel was boarded and secured shortly after 11pm on Friday 21 December and will now be brought back safely into dock at the port of Tilbury.

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