U.S. Boards Sanctioned Oil Tanker In Indian Ocean After Pursuit From Caribbean
3 weeks ago
U.S. military forces have boarded another oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking the vessel from the Caribbean Sea in an effort to enforce sanctions tied to Venezuela’s oil trade, the Pentagon said.
The defense department said its forces boarded the Panama‑flagged tanker Veronica III overnight, describing the action as a “right‑of‑visit, maritime interdiction and boarding.” The vessel was targeted after what the Pentagon called an attempt to evade a quarantine on sanctioned tankers first ordered by President Trump last year.
Video released by the Pentagon shows U.S. troops boarding the ship, though officials have not said whether the tanker has been formally seized. The operation follows a similar boarding of another sanctioned tanker in the Indian Ocean last week as part of broader efforts to disrupt illicit oil shipments.
The defense department said its forces boarded the Panama‑flagged tanker Veronica III overnight, describing the action as a “right‑of‑visit, maritime interdiction and boarding.” The vessel was targeted after what the Pentagon called an attempt to evade a quarantine on sanctioned tankers first ordered by President Trump last year.
Video released by the Pentagon shows U.S. troops boarding the ship, though officials have not said whether the tanker has been formally seized. The operation follows a similar boarding of another sanctioned tanker in the Indian Ocean last week as part of broader efforts to disrupt illicit oil shipments.
