Russia Asks U.S. to Stop Chase of Oil Tanker Claiming Russian Protection

Russia formally asked the United States to halt its pursuit of an oil tanker that had been sailing to Venezuela and is now fleeing the U.S. Coast Guard in the Atlantic, U.S. officials said. The diplomatic request was delivered late on New Year’s Eve to the State Department and to the White House’s Homeland Security Council, according to people briefed on the message.

American forces have tracked the ship, known as the Bella 1, for nearly two weeks. The vessel began its journey in Iran and was headed to Venezuela to pick up oil when U.S. authorities tried to stop and board it in the Caribbean. The U.S. said the ship was not flying a valid national flag and was therefore stateless and subject to boarding, and officials said they had a seizure warrant.

The crew refused to comply, sailed back toward the Atlantic and have tried to claim Russian protection, painting a Russian flag on the hull and radioing the Coast Guard that they were under Russian authority. The vessel recently appeared in Russia’s ship register under the name Marinera, with a home port listed as Sochi.

The White House declined to comment on the record. A U.S. official, speaking anonymously about an ongoing law enforcement matter, said the administration continues to view the tanker as stateless because it was flying a false flag when first approached.

Key Topics

World, United States, Russia, Venezuela, Oil Tankers, Maritime Law, Us Coast Guard