US may seize oil tanker heading for Europe, reports say
CBS News, the BBC’s media partner in the US, reported that the US may take action to seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker heading to Europe across the Atlantic.
Two US officials told the broadcaster that American forces planned to intercept the ship, which has historically been carrying Venezuelan crude and is thought to be between Scotland and Iceland.
President Donald Trump said last month: was ordering the “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers Entering and exiting Venezuela is an act that the government there describes as “theft.”
in front of him capture of the country’s former leader Nicolás Maduro On Saturday, Trump repeatedly accused the Venezuelan government of using ships to transport drugs to American shores.
The US coast guard attempted to board Bella 1 in the Caribbean last month, believed to be heading towards Venezuela.
They had issued an order to seize the ship accused of violating US sanctions and transporting Iranian oil.
She then dramatically changed course and renamed Marinera, reportedly returning from a Guyanese ship to a Russian ship.
Its approach to Europe coincided with the arrival in Britain of about 10 US military transport planes and helicopters.
Russia said it was “monitoring with concern” the situation around the ship.
CBS News reported that two US officials said American forces preferred to capture the ship rather than sink it.
Marinera is believed to be between Scotland and Iceland, with distance and weather conditions making boarding difficult.
Washington is expected to inform its ally if any US military operation is to be launched from the UK.
The UK Ministry of Defense says it will not comment on other nations’ military activities for now.
They suggested that the USA could organize an operation similar to the one carried out last month. When special operations forces working with the U.S. Marines and the U.S. Coast Guard captured The Skipper, a large Guyanese-flagged crude oil tanker, after the ship left a Venezuelan port.
AIS (automatic identification system) tracking data for the tanker, which may or may not have been spoofed, showed it was on Tuesday about 2,000 km (1,200 miles) west of continental Europe in the North Atlantic.
Under international law, ships flying a country’s flag are under that country’s protection, but Dimitris Ampatzidis, senior risk and compliance analyst at maritime intelligence firm Kpler, told BBC Verify that changing a ship’s name and flag may not change much.
“US action is guided by the underlying identity of the ship [IMO number]“Not with ownership/control networks and enforcement history, painted signs or flag claims,” he said.
Amatzidis added that altering Russian records could lead to “diplomatic friction” but that the United States would not stop any sanctions action.
The Russian foreign ministry said it was “closely monitoring with concern the abnormal situation around the Russian oil tanker Marinera.”
“Our ship is currently sailing in the international waters of the North Atlantic under the state flag of the Russian Federation and in full compliance with the norms of international maritime law,” the statement said.
“For reasons unclear to us, the US and NATO military are paying increasing and clearly disproportionate attention to the Russian ship, despite its peaceful status,” the statement said.
“We expect Western countries that have declared their commitment to freedom of navigation on the high seas to begin adhering to this principle as well.”
The potential tensions over the oil tanker come just days after the United States shocked the world by using military force to capture Russia’s ally Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from the capital Caracas.
He bombed targets in the city during the operation to rescue himself and his wife on suspicion of weapons and drug crimes.
