US EditionOil Tanker Pursued by US Now Has a Russian Flag Painted on Its Side
The crew painted a Russian flag on the sanctioned tanker Bella 1 to claim protection, complicating U.S. Coast Guard seizure efforts during a nearly two-week pursuit.
- Tuesday, the crew of the oil tanker Bella 1 painted a Russian flag while fleeing U.S. forces in the Atlantic, claiming Russian protection, two U.S. officials said.
- U.S. Coast Guard officials say they tried to intercept Bella 1 in the Caribbean Sea on Dec. 21 after finding it lacked a valid flag; the tanker has been under U.S. sanctions since last year and is part of a 'ghost fleet'.
- Most crew members aboard Bella 1 are from Russia, India and Ukraine, its transponder has been off since Dec. 17, and the ship recently changed course northwest toward Greenland or Iceland.
- Obtaining a seizure warrant, authorities cite the tanker’s Iranian oil trade link, but boarding Bella 1 requires a specialized boarding team; the Russian Embassy in Washington did not respond, while federal authorities plan further seizures.
- Earlier this month the Coast Guard boarded another tanker and the United States took possession of a third on Dec. 10, while the Treasury Department on Tuesday announced sanctions against 10 individuals and entities.
61 Articles
61 Articles
Oil tanker fleeing U.S. forces goes completely dark, but not before the crew pulled a stunt that could spark an international incident
The crew of an oil tanker heading to Venezuela tried a strange trick to avoid the US Coast Guard. They painted a crude Russian flag on the side of their ship, hoping it would keep American forces away. The tanker, called Bella 1, has been running from US forces since December 21. The crew claimed the ship was under Russian protection while traveling to pick up oil in Venezuela. The ship has been under US sanctions since 2024 for carrying Iranian…
The Kremlin asked the US government on New Year's Eve to stop the pursuit of the empty oil tanker Bella 1, which was en route to Venezuela to…
The Russian government has sent an official diplomatic note asking the United States to stop its pursuit of the Bella 1 oil tanker, which was bound for Venezuela and is now fleeing the U.S. Coast Guard in the Atlantic Ocean. Moscow said the ship is now sailing under the Russian...
Oilman who turned around when he was going to Venezuela and who the U.S. is chasing now has a Russian flag painted on the hull By Kevin Liptak, CNN Members of the crew of the old rusty oil tanker that the U.S. has been chasing on the high seas for almost two weeks seem to have painted a rudimentary image of a Russian flag on the hull of the ship, which U.S. officials consider an attempt to avail themselves of Russian protection, according to an …
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