Russian broadcaster says US forces look like they are trying to board Venezuela-linked oil tanker from helicopter

MOSCOW, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Russian state broadcaster RT said on Wednesday it looked like U.S. forces were trying to board Venezuela-linked oil tanker "Marinera" from a helicopter and published an image of a helicopter hovering near the ship.

Reuters could not immediately verify the RT report.

A U.S. official told Reuters earlier on Wednesday that the United States was attempting to seize the U.S.-sanctioned oil tanker after a more than two-week-long pursuit across the Atlantic.

RT cited an unnamed source as saying that a U.S. coast guard vessel had been following the tanker and that an attempt to seize it during a storm had already been carried out.

The Russian Foreign Ministry has been cited by state media as saying that the ship, which is now flying the Russian flag, is in international waters and acting according to international maritime law. It has called on Western countries to respect the vessel's right to freedom of navigation.