3 Indians among 28 crew on Russian-flagged oil tanker seized by US over Venezuela links: Report

The United States military has seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic over its alleged links to Venezuela, with reports confirming that three Indian nationals were among the 28 crew members onboard. The development has sparked sharp reactions from Moscow and renewed global focus on Washington’s enforcement of sanctions against Venezuela’s oil trade.

According to a report by Russia Today (RT), the vessel, currently named Marinera, was intercepted by US forces after being tracked from the Caribbean Sea. The tanker had earlier operated under the name Bella 1 and was chartered by a private trader. While initially sailing under the Russian flag, the ship was reportedly operating under the flag of Guyana at the time of the seizure.

The crew onboard the tanker comprised 28 individuals from multiple nationalities, including 17 Ukrainian citizens, six from Georgia, three Indians, and two Russians. Russia’s transport ministry said it lost all contact with the vessel after US naval forces boarded it, further escalating tensions surrounding the incident.

US officials cited in a Reuters report said the operation was conducted jointly by the US Coast Guard and the US military. The tanker had allegedly slipped through a US maritime blockade targeting sanctioned vessels and resisted repeated attempts by the Coast Guard to board it. This seizure is being described as one of the rare instances in recent history where the US military has taken control of a Russian-flagged vessel.

The incident follows closely on the heels of a dramatic US special forces operation in Caracas that reportedly led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, further intensifying geopolitical friction in the region.

Reacting strongly, senior Russian lawmaker Andrei Klishas of the ruling United Russia party termed the US action as “outright piracy,” according to Russia’s TASS news agency. RT also aired images showing a helicopter hovering near the tanker, suggesting a high-risk aerial boarding operation by US forces.

Confirming the action, the US said it seized two sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela — Bella 1 (now Marinera) and M Sophia, a Panama-flagged vessel described as a “stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker.” US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated that both ships had either recently docked in Venezuela or were en route there.

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Noem praised the Coast Guard for what she described as a meticulously coordinated operation, alleging that Bella 1 had attempted to evade capture by changing its name and flag while repainting its hull. The UK defence ministry also confirmed it provided logistical and operational support to the US during the interdiction in the UK-Iceland-Greenland gap.

The presence of Indian nationals among the crew adds another diplomatic dimension to the unfolding situation, as governments monitor the welfare and legal status of their citizens amid rising international tensions.