US Seizes Two Venezuelan Oil Tankers, One with Russian Flag

With Russian submarines nearby, the US military seized a Venezuelan oil tanker that the US Coast Guard had been chasing. It was recently re-registered under a Russian flag. They also seized another oil tanker that was registered under a Cameroon flag. Both were known to be carrying sanctioned Venezuelan oil.

Apparently, someone figured the US wouldn’t mess with a Russian-flagged ship. They figured wrong.

“In two predawn operations today, the Coast Guard conducted back-to-back meticulously coordinated boarding of two “ghost fleet” tanker ships— one in the North Atlantic Sea and one in international waters near the Caribbean. Both vessels —the Motor Tanker Bella I and the Motor Taker Sophia—were either last docked in Venezuela or en route to it. One of these tankers, Motor Tanker Bella I, has been trying to evade the Coast Guard for weeks, even changing its flag and painting a new name on the hull while being pursued, in a desperate and failed attempt to escape justice. The heroic crew of the USCGC Munro pursued this vessel across the high seas and through treacherous storms— keeping diligent watch, and protecting our country with the determination and patriotism that make Americans proud…” Kristi Noem, DHS Secretary.