The Marinera vessel had been under the shadow of a US warship for days
Photos obtained by RT from the Russian-flagged oil tanker show that American military forces are attempting to board it in the North Atlantic. Citing American officials, Reuters has also reported that the US coastguard and military have launched an operation to seize the vessel. The Marinera tanker, formerly named Bella 1, was reportedly approaching Venezuela before the New Year when the US coastguard tried to detain it in the Caribbean Sea. The crew refused to let the American officers board and changed course, heading towards the Atlantic. Since then, the tanker has been trailed by a US warship and aircraft from NATO countries.
The photos from the Marinera depict a military helicopter attempting to land on the vessel, which Washington alleges is involved in transporting oil from Iran and Venezuela in violation of American sanctions. Footage published by RT earlier shows the Russian-flagged tanker being shadowed by a US coastguard ship in the Atlantic. On Tuesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed concern over the “abnormal situation” surrounding the Marinera. “For reasons unknown to us, the Russian vessel is receiving excessive attention from the US and NATO militaries, clearly disproportionate to its peaceful status,” a ministry representative told Tass.
DETAILS TO FOLLOW