Original article: EE.UU. incauta petrolero ruso en el Atlántico Norte en medio de la tensión global

U.S. Coast Guard Seizes Russian Oil Tanker ‘Marinera’ in North Atlantic Amid Global Tensions

In a significant escalation of global tensions, a joint operation involving the U.S. Coast Guard and military attempted to seize the Russian oil tanker ‘Marinera’ in international waters of the North Atlantic on Tuesday.

The incident, confirmed by U.S. European Command and strongly condemned by Moscow, occurred under severe weather conditions and has created a delicate diplomatic situation.

According to initial reports from Russian agency RT, citing a source on site, there was «an attempted boarding of the Russian tanker ‘Marinera,’ currently located in the North Atlantic.»

Concurrent images revealed a military helicopter operating very close to the merchant vessel.

Reuters, on the other hand, received official confirmation from two U.S. officials who detailed that «the Coast Guard and the U.S. Army are conducting an operation to seize the tanker.»

Hours later, U.S. European Command (EUCOM) released a statement confirming the detention of the vessel ‘Marinera,’ which was previously named ‘Bella 1,’ although it did not provide immediate legal details regarding the basis for the action.

Complaint from the Russian Company

The vessel’s owner, the Russian company BurevestMarin, warned of the interception attempt hours earlier.

«Our civilian ship, which is not carrying any cargo and is sailing in ballast, has been pursued for an extended period by the U.S. Coast Guard. Despite the captain’s repeated attempts to communicate the identity and civilian nature of the Russian-flagged vessel, the chase continues, accompanied by coordinated aerial surveillance from the U.S. Navy’s P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft,» the company stated in a press release outlining the situation.

The company cautioned that, according to its public sources, the U.S. «plans to intercept the vessel soon,» urging U.S. authorities to «exercise restraint and allow for a peaceful resolution via international maritime law, rather than risking lives in stormy conditions.»

According to the company, the vessel is a civilian merchant ship without cargo and has a crew composed of citizens from Russia, Ukraine, and Georgia.

In light of this scenario, BurevestMarin questioned the interest of U.S. Armed Forces in conducting such dangerous actions against an empty civilian tanker.

Moscow Accuses U.S. of Pursuing Russian Tanker

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted firmly, declaring that it is closely observing the «growing and disproportionate attention of the U.S. Navy to the Russian tanker, which is navigating in international waters of the North Atlantic.»

The Russian Foreign Ministry provided a crucial geographical detail to contextualize its protest, stating that «for several days, a U.S. Coast Guard vessel has been pursuing the Russian tanker, despite it being approximately 4,000 kilometers from the U.S. coast.»

In a statement reflecting the existing differences and tensions, Moscow directly criticized the consistency of Western nations like the United States.

«We expect Western countries, who claim their commitment to the freedom of navigation at sea, to start focusing on themselves when implementing this principle,» they indicated in the text.