3 Indians Among Crew Of Venezuela-Linked Oil Tanker 'Marinera' Seized By USA: Report

Washington, DC: Three Indians are among the crew of the Venezuela-linked oil tanker named ‘Marinera’, that was seized by the United States of America on Wednesday in the Caribbean Sea, Russian media reported. According to RT, the crew consists of 17 Ukrainian citizens, six Georgian citizens, three Indian citizens and two Russian citizens.

In a back-to-back operation, US trooped seized two tankers linked to Venezuelan oil exports. The U.S. European Command first announced the seizure of Marinera, earlier known as M/V Bella 1. It claimed that the vessel had violated U.S. sanctions, adding, “The vessel was seized in the North Atlantic pursuant to a warrant issued by a U.S. federal court after being tracked by USCGC Munro.”

It stated that the seizure supports POTUS Proclamation targeting sanctioned vessels that threaten the security and stability of the Western Hemisphere. As per the US government, “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.”

Shortly after the seizure of Marinera, the U.S. Southern Command announced the seizure of another “sanctioned” tanker named ‘M/T Sophia'. It added, “M/T Sophia was operating in international waters and conducting illicit activities in the Caribbean Sea.”

US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said that both ships are part of a large “ghost fleet” of sanctioned vessels that carry oil from Russia, Iran and Venezuela in defiance of Western sanctions.

Also Read- US Forces Seize 2 Venezuela-Linked, Russian-Flagged Oil Tankers After Week-Long Pursuit