Indian nationals among crew of Russian tanker seized by US

Three Indians are among the crew on board the Russian oil tanker seized by the US, local media reported even as Moscow on Thursday asked Washington to comply with international laws on freedom of maritime navigation while strongly rejecting its ‘neo-colonist’ tendencies.

The Russian Foreign Ministry also said information about the Marinera tanker, previously known as Bella 1, that was seized on Wednesday by the US coastguard in the North Atlantic, was conveyed to America repeatedly.

“The Marinera crew consists of 17 Ukrainian citizens, six Georgian citizens, three Indian citizens and two Russian citizens,” Russia Today said, quoting sources.

“We call on Washington to resume compliance with the fundamental norms and principles of international maritime navigation and immediately cease its illegal actions against the Marinera tanker and other vessels engaged in law-abiding activities on the high seas,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Moscow said it considers the US references to its national “sanctions legislation” to be unfounded.

Also read: Russia urges US to comply international shipping laws, says America was informed about tanker status

“The statements by some US officials that the seizure of the Marinera is part of a broader strategy to establish Washington’s unlimited control over Venezuela’s natural resources are extremely cynical. We strongly reject such neo-colonialist tendencies,” the Foreign Ministry underscored.

“Unilateral restrictive measures by the US, as well as other Western countries, are illegitimate and cannot justify attempts to establish jurisdiction and, even more so, to seize ships on the high seas,” it said.

Demanding humane and dignified treatment of its crew, the statement said: “We reiterate our demand that the US ensure humane and dignified treatment of the Russian citizens comprising the tanker’s crew, strictly observe their rights and interests, and make no obstacles to their prompt return to their homeland.” It also expressed serious concerns of the use of military force by the US against the oil tanker, full information about which was conveyed to it.

“The Marinera, which on December 24 received temporary permission to sail under the Russian flag in accordance with the international law and Russian legislation, was peacefully transiting international waters in the North Atlantic, heading for one of Russia’s ports,” the foreign ministry said.

The US government had been repeatedly provided with reliable information, including from the Russian Foreign Ministry, about the ship’s Russian origin and its civilian status, it asserted.

“Russia did not give consent to these actions. On the contrary, it lodged an official protest with the US government regarding the pursuit of the Marinera by a US Coast Guard vessel over the past several weeks, insisting on the immediate cessation of these activities and the withdrawal of the unlawful demands made on the Russian ship’s captain,” the ministry said.

Under these circumstances, US military personnel boarding a civilian vessel on the high seas and effectively seizing it, as well as capturing its crew, “can only be viewed as a gross violation of the basic principles and norms of international maritime law and freedom of navigation,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said.