France Arrests Captain And First Officer Of Sanctioned Tanker Amid Drone Probe

French authorities have arrested two crew members of a sanctioned oil tanker suspected of operating as part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” following a boarding operation off western France.

The vessel, Boracay, was intercepted by a French Navy frigate near the island of Ouessant, according to the Brest prosecutor’s office, which is handling the investigation.

The captain and the first officer, both Chinese nationals, were detained after failing to justify the ship’s nationality and refusing to follow orders during the inspection.

The prosecutor’s office has decided to prosecute only the captain for failure to comply, with his hearing scheduled for 23 February. The first officer was released.

The Boracay, which sails under the flag of Benin and was previously named Pushpa, was carrying 750,000 barrels of crude oil from the Russian oil terminal in Primorsk to Vadinar in India.

Before sailing towards France, the vessel was tracked about 50 nautical miles south of Copenhagen on 22 September, during a period when drone activity forced Copenhagen airport to close temporarily.

On 24 September, the tanker was observed heading south along Denmark’s west coast at the time drones were reported flying near Esbjerg and several other airports.

French and Danish authorities have not confirmed whether the vessel was directly involved in the drone activity. Danish officials believe ships in the area may have been used to launch drones, which were likely large fixed-wing types capable of being deployed from ship-based catapults, but no definitive link has been established.

Germany has also reported unidentified drone incursions over sensitive infrastructure, including a power plant in Kiel, a shipyard, and a university hospital, while investigations into these events continue.

President Emmanuel Macron described the French operation as “very important” and said it was crucial to determine the facts behind the incidents in Denmark. Macron added that Russia’s “shadow fleet” may comprise between 600 and 1,000 vessels and said pressure should be applied to disrupt such operations.

The Kremlin said it had no information about the vessel but suggested the Russian military sometimes acts to restore order in response to foreign provocations. The incidents have raised security concerns across Europe, with NATO on alert and EU leaders discussing the issue in Copenhagen.

References: Reuters, economictimes

Source: Maritime Shipping News