by Reuters, Goldie Katz
The Marinera, formerly known as the Bella 1, was originally registered under the Guyanese flag before changing to the Russian flag mid-voyage on December 24.
 |
The United States seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker with links to Venezuela for violating US sanctions after a more than two-week-long pursuit across the Atlantic, the US's European Command (EUCOM) announced on Wednesday.
The Marinera was seized in the North Atlantic after a US federal court issued a warrant, following tracking by US Coast Guard vessels.
The United Kingdom aided the US in the operation, with a military vessel supporting US forces pursuing the tanker and the Royal Air Force providing air surveillance, the UK's Ministry of Defence confirmed.
The tanker, originally known as the Bella-1, slipped through a US maritime blockade of sanctioned tankers and rebuffed US Coast Guard efforts to board it last month.
The tanker was originally registered under the Guyanese flag before changing to the Russian flag mid-voyage on December 24, according to the BBC.
The @TheJusticeDept & @DHSgov, in coordination with the @DeptofWar today announced the seizure of
— U.S. European Command (@US_EUCOM) January 7, 2026
the M/V Bella 1 for violations of U.S. sanctions. The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court after being tracked by USCGC Munro. pic.twitter.com/bm5KcCK30X
This appeared to be the first time in recent memory that the US military has attempted to seize a Russian-flagged vessel.
Russian military vessels were reportedly in the general vicinity of the operation, including a Russian submarine. It was unclear how close the vessels were to the operation, which was taking place close to Iceland.
Russia's Ministry of Transportation accused the US of violating maritime law with the seizure.
"No state has the right to use force against vessels duly registered in the jurisdictions of other states," the Russian ministry said in a statement. "In accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, freedom of navigation applies in the high seas."
Additionally, Andrei Klishas, Russia's Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on State Building, decried the joint US-UK operation as "blatant piracy."
US seizes additional vessel
The US Southern Command additionally apprehended another vessel, the M/T Sophia, in international waters on Wednesday.
The M/T Sophia, a "stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker," according to US Southern Command, had been "conducting illicit activities in the Caribbean Sea" at the time of the seizure.
In a pre-dawn action this morning, the Department of War, in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, apprehended a stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker without incident.
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) January 7, 2026
The interdicted vessel, M/T Sophia, was operating in international waters and… pic.twitter.com/JQm9gHprPk
Following the operation, the US Coast Guard began escorting the vessel to the US for disposition.
This is a developing story.
Reuters, Goldie Katz
Source: https://www.jpost.com/international/article-882619
No comments:
Post a Comment