US forces ‘are attempting to board rogue oil tanker in the Atlantic despite presence of Russian vessels’
The United States is attempting to seize a Venezuela-linked oil tanker after a more than two-week-long pursuit across the Atlantic.
The seizure, which could stoke tensions with Russia, came after 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.
Officials, who were speaking on condition of anonymity, said the operation is being carried out by the Coast Guard and US military.
Pictures in Russian media purportedly showed a helicopter approaching the vessel today.
The chopper appears to be an American MH-6 Little Bird.
American officials added that Russian military vessels were in the general vicinity when the operation took place, including a Russian submarine.
Earlier, the Daily Mail reported that British Typhoons were scrambled to intercept the vessel.
It is not currently known whether the UK was involved in the storming of the tanker. The Daily Mail has contacted the Ministry of Defence for comment.
The tanker is the latest to be targeted by the US Coast Guard since the start of Donald Trump’s pressure campaign against Venezuela.
Pictures in Russian media purportedly showed helicopters approaching the vessel today
American officials added that Russian military vessels were in the general vicinity when the operation took place, including a Russian submarine
The vessel tanker Bella 1 at Singapore Strait, after U.S. officials say the U.S. Coast Guard pursued an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, in this picture taken from social media on March 18, 2025
Last month, the US Coast Guard attempted to board it in the Caribbean, armed with a warrant to seize the ship over alleged breaches of US sanctions and claims it had shipped Iranian oil.
However, the tanker then abruptly changed course, renamed itself Marinera and reportedly reflagged from Guyana to Russia.
Trump last month said he had ordered a ‘blockade’ of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, a policy the government in Caracas branded ‘theft’.
In the run-up to the US seizure of the country’s former leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Trump repeatedly accused Venezuela’s government of using ships to smuggle drugs into the US.
Two US officials told CBS News on Tuesday that American forces were planning to board the Marinera and that Washington would prefer to seize the vessel rather than sink it.
Moscow’s Foreign Ministry earlier said it expects Western countries to respect principles of freedom of navigation.
In the run-up to the US seizure of the country’s former leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Trump repeatedly accused Venezuela’s government of using ships to smuggle drugs into the US.
Two US officials told CBS News on Tuesday that American forces were planning to board the Marinera and that Washington would prefer to seize the vessel rather than sink it.
Moscow’s Foreign Ministry says it expects Western countries to respect principles of freedom of navigation.
Russia has dispatched navy assets to protect a sanctioned oil tanker as it crosses the Atlantic, amid mounting threats from the US to seize the vessel
Footage posted by Russian television network RT purports to show a US Coast Guard cutter chasing the Russian-flagged oil tanker
Separately, the US Coast Guard has also intercepted another Venezuela-linked tanker in Latin American waters, US officials said, as the US continues enforcing a maritime ‘blockade’ of sanctioned vessels from Venezuela.
Footage posted earlier by Russian television network RT purports to show a US Coast Guard cutter chasing the Marinera, which started its journey in Iran.
The tanker’s north Atlantic position, combined with rough weather and long distances from land, is thought to be making any boarding operation difficult.
AIS tracking data, which can be spoofed or falsified, suggested the ship was around 2,000km (1,200 miles) west of continental Europe on Tuesday.
More to follow.
