French Authorities Detain Captain of Suspected Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker
The captain of a tanker intercepted by the French navy on suspicion of shipping sanctioned Russian oil is being held in custody. The ship’s Indian captain, 58, was handed over to authorities after the oil tanker, “Grinch“, was diverted to the Gulf of Fos-sur-Mer, Marseille’s prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
The French navy intercepted the oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea on Thursday with the help of UK intelligence. The ship had traveled from Russia and was suspected of being part of Moscow’s “shadow fleet” used to evade international sanctions imposed over its war on Ukraine.
Investigation Underway
An investigation is being carried out on charges of failure to fly a valid flag, and added that the crew, also of Indian nationality, was being kept on board. The purpose of the investigation is to verify the validity of the flag flown by the tanker and the documents required for its navigation, according to the statement.
The French navy intercepted the oil tanker on Thursday in the Mediterranean Sea after traveling from Russia. A video provided by the French military showed members of the navy boarding the ship from a helicopter earlier this week.
France’s Crackdown on Russian ‘Shadow Fleet’
France and other countries are cracking down on tankers and vessels suspected of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” being used to evade sanctions. The fleet is made up of ageing vessels and tankers owned by non-transparent entities and flying under the flag of non-sanctioning countries.
Last September, French naval forces boarded another oil tanker off the French Atlantic coast that President Emmanuel Macron also linked to the shadow fleet. Putin denounced that interception as an act of piracy. That tanker’s captain will go on trial in February over the crew’s alleged refusal to cooperate, according to French judicial authorities.
Original Article: France detains captain of suspected Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker – Yahoo News — Yahoo