The Russian-flagged oil tanker the US military seized on Wednesday had 28 crew members on board, including three Indians, according to Russia Today.
3 Indians Among Crew
RT says the vessel, called Bella 1, was chartered by a private trader. The ship actually sailed under the Guyana flag. On board, there were six Georgians, 17 Ukrainians, three Indians, and two Russians.
US forces stopped the Marinera in the North Atlantic after tracking it all the way from the Caribbean. American officials claim they seized the ship because of its alleged connections to Venezuela.
The apparent Indians on board have not been identified yet. NewsX will keep you posted.
👇 FACTS on seizure of the Russian-flagged tanker:
Washington said the tanker was seized for ‘violation of US sanctions’ and is going to ‘prosecute its crew’
‘Marinera’ received legal permission to sail under the Russian flag on Dec 24, fully in line with intl law pic.twitter.com/oGNZvtzCLE
— RT (@RT_com) January 8, 2026
US Seizes Russian-Linked Tanker in Atlantic
The whole thing happened after the tanker managed to dodge a US maritime blockade and ignored attempts by the Coast Guard to board. Two US officials told Reuters the Coast Guard and the military worked together on the operation.
This isn’t something you see every day. According to Reuters, it’s the first time in recent memory that the US military has captured a Russian-flagged vessel.
It comes right on the heels of a dramatic US Special Forces raid in Caracas, where they reportedly captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro just last Saturday.
A top Russian lawmaker, Andrei Klishas from the ruling United Russia party, called the US action “outright piracy,” according to TASS.
Russia’s transport ministry says they lost all contact with the Marinera after US naval forces boarded it. RT even shared a photo of a helicopter hovering near the ship, saying US forces looked like they were trying to board the sanctioned tanker.
