The U.S. has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker after a prolonged, multinational pursuit. The vessel, originally the Bella 1 and later renamed the Marinera, was sanctioned in 2024 for transporting illicit Venezuelan oil. The Coast Guard initially failed to board it near Venezuela last month, prompting the tanker to flee across the Atlantic.
The U.S. tracked the ship using P-8 aircraft from the UK. The crew painted a Russian flag on its hull, claiming protection, and Russia filed a formal protest. The U.S., considering the vessel stateless, repositioned military assets to the UK ahead of the seizure. This operation continues the enforcement of a blockade against sanctioned tankers, a policy the U.S. maintains following the capture of Nicolás Maduro.
