A tanker with Russian oil was detained when leaving the English Channel. The French Navy forced a vessel under sanctions The EU and the UK, approach the territorial waters of the country in the Bay of Biscay. The vessel is suspected of being capable of launching drones that flew over Copenhagen airport.
The tanker has been captured for the second time in six months. In April, he was boarded by Estonian special services. However, they were forced to release after the elimination of technical malfunctions.According to AIS vessels, the tanker Boracay (Pushpa) is located on October 1 right at the border of the territorial waters of France in the Bay of Biscay — opposite the port of Saint-Nazaire. On the eve of the French Navy reported the detention of the tanker.
"The French Navy announced the start of an investigation. The prosecutor of Brest said that the investigation was launched after the crew did not provide evidence of the nationality of the vessel and did not comply with the orders,"Reuters reports.
Splash24 reported that the reason for the detention was suspicions that drones could allegedly be launched from the tanker, which on September 22 paralyzed the operation of the airport in Copenhagen. Then the tanker passed by the Danish coast.
According to AIS data, the tanker transports up to 115 thousand tons of oil from Primorsk in the Indian Vadinar and the ship were waiting at the exit from the English Channel. It was there, at the beginning of the Bay of Biscay, that the tanker changed course at 11.
11 on September 27 and headed towards the port of Saint-Nazaire.The vessel did not enter the territorial waters of France, but stands right on the border — 29 miles from the port.
Previously, the tanker was called Kiwala and was sanctioned EU and UK. However, this is not a reason for seizure under international maritime law. This was shown by the previous state of emergency in Estonia. Then the tanker was captured by local special services during the passage of the Gulf of Finland, however, apart from technical, they could not make any claims. The ship left after corrections and changed its name.
Then the Equasis database indicated that the tanker was allegedly sailing under a false flag of the Gambia, now it indicates a false flag of Benin.
Boracay (Pushpa) is referred to as a shadow fleet, since the ultimate owners are unknown. Officially, the ship has nothing to do with Russia. Its owner is Baaj Shipping, registered in Seychelles. At the same time, the ISM operator changed in June and remains unknown. Previously it was Hong Ze Hu Shipmanagement from China.
The detention of Boracay (Pushpa) did not affect the passage schedule of other tankers that are under sanctions. So, since September 29, at least six vessels have passed in both directions between the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel. Today, Azure and Bratsk were walking in the detention area. At the same time, a French Navy ship continued to be on duty at the transport corridor between the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay.
As EADaily reported , some of the countries The EU and the UK have organized a coalition to fight the shadow fleet, which transports Russian oil bypassing the price ceiling set by them, and reduce Russia's revenues. International maritime law, however, limits the coalition's capabilities in neutral waters. In addition, Russia itself has shown in the Gulf of Finland that it will protect ships with Russian oil.
For example, Estonian border guards and special services refused to seize another tanker when Russian fighters flew near the vessel. Finland also reported that Russian aircraft escorted tankers with Russian oil along the gulf.