3 Indians Among 28 Crew Members On Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker Seized By US In Atlantic

Three Indian nationals were among the 28 crew members onboard a Russian-flagged oil tanker seized by the United States in the North Atlantic, according to reports citing Russia Today (RT).

The vessel was intercepted on Wednesday over alleged links to Venezuela.

The tanker, named Marinera, was tracked by US forces from the Caribbean Sea before being seized in the North Atlantic. US authorities said the ship was taken over because of its alleged role in moving Venezuelan oil in violation of US sanctions.

RT reported that the vessel had earlier operated under the name Bella I and was chartered by a private trader. At different stages, the ship was said to have sailed under the flags of Russia and Guyana.

The crew onboard reportedly included 17 Ukrainians, six Georgians, three Indians and two Russians.

US officials said the tanker had tried to evade a US maritime blockade imposed on sanctioned vessels and had refused attempts by the US Coast Guard to board it.

The operation was carried out by the Coast Guard with support from the US military. Reuters noted that this appeared to be the first time in recent years that the US military had seized a Russian-flagged vessel.

Russia’s transport ministry said it lost contact with the Marinera after US naval forces boarded the ship. A senior Russian lawmaker, Andrei Klishas from the ruling United Russia party, was quoted by the TASS news agency as calling the US action an act of piracy.

Russia also referred to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, saying that freedom of navigation applies on the high seas and that no country has the right to use force against vessels registered under another state’s jurisdiction.

Russian authorities said they had asked the US to ensure humane treatment of the crew and to release them as soon as possible.

The United States later confirmed that it had seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean.

One of them was Bella I, which US officials said had changed its name to Marinera after trying to escape US enforcement action last month. The second vessel, M Sophia, was described as a Panama-flagged tanker operating as part of a sanctioned “dark fleet”.

US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a social media post that both vessels had either last docked in Venezuela or were heading there. She said the US Coast Guard carried out closely coordinated boardings after weeks of tracking the ships.

According to her statement, Bella I had repeatedly tried to avoid interception, including by changing its flag and repainting its name on the hull.

The United Kingdom confirmed that it supported the US during the seizure of Bella I. The UK Ministry of Defence said British armed forces provided planned operational support, including basing assistance, to US military assets involved in the operation in the UK-Iceland-Greenland gap following a request from Washington.

References: freepressjournal, hindustantimes

Source: Maritime Shipping News