French Police Arrest Captain and First Officer of Sanctioned Tanker Linked to Russian Shadow Fleet
French police have arrested the captain and first officer of a sanctioned tanker suspected of operating for Russia’s “shadow fleet,” after the navy boarded the vessel, authorities said on Thursday.
The Boracay, which has been sanctioned by Britain and the European Union, left the Russian port of Primorsk on September 20, according to MarineTraffic data. The ship was approximately 50 nautical miles (90 km) south of Copenhagen, heading out of the Baltic Sea, when drone activity forced the closure of the city’s airport around 18:30 GMT on September 22, according to MarineTraffic’s data.
Investigation and Arrests
Brest Prosecutor Stephane Kellenberger, whose office is handling the investigation into the Boracay, said in a statement that the two people in custody had identified themselves as the ship’s captain and its first officer. They are accused of failing to provide proof of the vessel’s nationality and failing to comply with orders, and their detention has been extended.
The arrests were made possible thanks to the intervention of French Navy commandos and crews who boarded the vessel over the weekend, according to Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu. The prime minister wrote on X that the action contributed to the arrest of two members of the ship’s crew.
Russian Shadow Fleet
President Emmanuel Macron has welcomed the probe into the vessel, estimating that Russia’s “shadow fleet” contains 600 to 1,000 ships. French authorities have been tight-lipped about the investigation, but the Kremlin has commented on the matter. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Russian military had to act sometimes to restore order when foreign countries took what he described as “provocative actions.”
This is a developing story and will be updated. The implications of these arrests could signal increased scrutiny and enforcement against vessels linked to Russia’s maritime operations.
Original Article: France arrests two crew members of tanker linked to Russian shadow fleet — Cnn