Table of Contents
- US Troops Launch Daring Mission
- Rising Tensions
- Involvement of Elite Forces
- Concerns Over Cargo
- Tracking the Vessel
- Impact of the Blockade
- Conclusion
US troops have allegedly initiated a bold operation to capture a rogue shadow fleet tanker linked to Russia after tracking it across the Atlantic Ocean.
In response, Russia dispatched a submarine and naval ships in an attempt to evade capture following its failure to breach Donald Trump’s blockade on Venezuela.
A sanctioned Venezuelan oil tanker, the Marinera, has been seized by US forces in the North AtlanticCredit: Reuters
A P-8A Poseidon participated in the daring maritime operation to capture the vesselCredit: Alamy
The aging sanctions-busting Marinera – which Russia asserts is empty – has been under close surveillance by US and UK forces in recent days after fleeing the Caribbean.
Tensions escalated regarding the rusty vessel's proximity to Venezuela as the US prepared to seize the ship by force.
Seal Team 6 – the unit responsible for eliminating Osama Bin Laden – and Delta Force – who apprehended Nicolas Maduro over the weekend – are both believed to be involved in the operation after arriving in Britain on Tuesday.
It remains uncertain what Washington suspects is aboard the vessel, with concerns it may have been transporting sensitive military cargo such as missiles to Caracas.
Flight tracking data from this morning indicated a P-8A Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft en route to the last known coordinates of the tanker off the coast of the UK.
The aircraft departed from Keflavik, Iceland, dispatched alongside a KC-135 Stratotanker for refueling.
Boeing’s Poseidon aircraft are utilized in anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence gathering, and reconnaissance missions.
Trump’s naval team has now stated they have begun the operation to take control of the vessel, where they will conduct a thorough search on board.
The plan reportedly mirrored last month’s operation, when US Marines, special forces, and the Coast Guard stormed another vessel at sea.
Planespotters reported that a trio of V-22 US Ospreys were observed practicing fast-roping drills, while the Poseidon maritime surveillance planes monitored the tanker prior to its capture.
Previously known as the Bella 1 and now rebranded as the Marinera, this Venezuelan tanker is accused of being part of a so-called “shadow fleet,” a collection of vessels that illegally transport oil.
These sanction-evading ships assist in circumventing embargoes, allowing “Axis of Evil” dictators like Nicolas Maduro and Vladimir Putin to maintain trade.
Last month, the US Coast Guard attempted to board the Bella 1 in the Caribbean, suspecting it was en route to Venezuela.
Washington believed it might have been transporting Iranian oil at that time.
However, they were unable to seize the ship as its captain quickly altered course before reaching Venezuela.
The vessel fled the Caribbean and was reportedly heading towards the Russian port of Murmansk.
The ship, capable of carrying up to £37 million worth of oil, changed its name to the Marinera in December and oddly switched its flag from Guyanese to Russian.
The Marinera has previously flown Panamanian flags on various occasions but is originally from Iran.
The operation reportedly mirrored last month’s helicopter-borne assault on another sanctioned tanker, The Skipper
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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