French Military Boards Russia-Linked Tanker Boracay Suspected in Denmark Drone Attacks
French military forces boarded a Russia-linked oil tanker named Boracay, suspected of serving as a launchpad for mystery drones that forced the closure of Danish airports last month. Two crew members claiming to be the ship’s captain and first mate were taken into custody Wednesday, according to The Guardian.
The dramatic seizure marks the first time a NATO country has intercepted a vessel from Russia’s “shadow fleet” over suspected drone operations targeting civilian infrastructure.
Shadow Fleet Tanker Intercepted En Route to India
The Boracay, a 244-meter (801-foot) Benin-flagged tanker, was carrying 750,000 barrels of crude oil from Primorsk near St. Petersburg, Russia to Vadinar, India when French naval forces intercepted it Sunday. The vessel was diverted to Saint-Nazaire in western France for investigation.
Brest prosecutor Stéphane Kellenberger told France 24 the preliminary investigation focuses on “failure to provide proof of the vessel’s nationality” and “refusal to comply” with instructions. Maximum penalties include one year in prison and a €150,000 ($175,000 USD) fine.
The tanker has repeatedly changed identities, previously sailing as Pushpa, Kiwala, and Varuna. Ship tracking data shows it operated near Danish waters during the September 22 and 24 drone sightings that shut down Copenhagen and Aalborg airports.
Connection to Airport Closures Under Investigation
Copenhagen Airport closed for four hours on September 22 after two to three large drones entered controlled airspace. Danish police Chief Superintendent Jens Jespersen described the operator as a “capable actor” with “the capabilities, the will and the tools to show off in this way.”
Aalborg Airport, which hosts a Danish military air base, was closed twice on September 24-25 after additional drone sightings. Multiple smaller airports also reported unauthorized drone activity during the same period.
French President Emmanuel Macron said “there were some very serious offences committed by this crew” but stopped short of confirming a link between the Boracay and the Danish drone incidents.
EU Leaders Meet on “Drone Wall” Defense Strategy
The boarding comes as Copenhagen hosts an EU summit where leaders are discussing development of a “drone wall” to counter hybrid warfare threats. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen described the September incidents as part of a “hybrid war,” saying “from a European perspective, there is only one country that is willing to threaten us, and it is Russia.”
The Kremlin denied involvement and said it had no information about the tanker or the incidents.
The Boracay‘s Shadow Fleet Past
The Boracay is subject to UK and EU sanctions. In October 2022, the UK identified the vessel, then called Varuna, as part of Russia’s shadow fleet involved in “carrying oil or oil products that originated in Russia to a third country.”
The shadow fleet consists of aging vessels with obscure ownership operating without Western-regulated insurance to help Russia circumvent oil export sanctions imposed after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Macron estimated the shadow fleet includes “between 600 and 1,000 ships” representing “tens of billions of euros of Russia’s budget” and making up “40% of the Russian war effort.”
Original Article: France Detains Two Crew Members from Tanker Suspected in Denmark Drone Attacks — Dronexl