Three Indian nationals were among the crew detained after the United States seized the oil tanker Marinera, a vessel linked to Venezuelan oil shipments. The tanker was intercepted and taken under US control
following a weeks-long pursuit. It was carrying a multinational crew made up of Indian, Ukrainian, Georgian and Russian citizens.
The Marinera had a crew of 28 people, including 20 Ukrainians, six Georgians- among them the ship’s captain- two Russians and three Indian nationals. The commercial vessel was chartered by a private trader and was operating under the flag of Guyana at the time of the seizure. US authorities said the tanker was involved in moving oil linked to Venezuela in violation of international sanctions and was part of efforts to bypass existing restrictions.
Following the seizure, the entire crew was detained as investigators examine the ship’s ownership, chartering arrangements and compliance with maritime and sanctions laws.
US officials have not said how long the crew will be held or what legal process they may face as the investigation continues.
The tanker had previously operated under the name Bella 1 before being renamed Marinera after evading the US blockade of Venezuela last month. Washington also announced the seizure of another sanctioned tanker, the M/T Sophia, which it said was engaged in illicit activity in the Caribbean Sea.
Russia reacted sharply to the seizure. The Kremlin, a close ally of deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, accused the United States of violating international maritime law.
The incident has emerged as a fresh point of tension between Washington and Moscow, adding to strains already heightened by the Donald Trump administration’s crackdown on Venezuela following the capture of Nicolas Maduro.
Russia’s foreign ministry said it was closely monitoring the situation and demanded the humane treatment and “prompt return” of Russian citizens aboard the tanker.
“The boarding of American military personnel on a peaceful vessel on the high seas and its actual capture, as well as the detention of the crew, cannot be interpreted as anything other than a gross violation of the fundamental principles and norms of international maritime law and freedom of navigation,” the ministry said in a statement.
