US suspends seizure of oil tanker after Russian flag appears on it

The U.S. Coast Guard has temporarily paused its operation to seize the oil tanker Bella 1 after the vessel began flying a Russian flag.

For more than 10 days, Coast Guard ships have been shadowing the tanker in the Atlantic Ocean, keeping a safe distance of about half a mile (800 meters), according to U.S. officials. 

Special units are ready to seize the vessel but are awaiting approval from the White House.

The situation became more complicated after a Russian flag was crudely painted on Bella 1’s hull. Under international law, vessels can be seized if they have no legal national registration or are suspected of operating under a false flag.

Initially, the United States considered Bella 1 to be sailing under a false flag and subject to court-ordered seizure. If the vessel is now legally registered in Russia, forcibly seizing it could lead to a diplomatic conflict. U.S. officials are working to confirm the tanker’s status through diplomatic channels.

Bella 1 is owned by a Turkish company and was sanctioned by the United States for transporting Iranian oil on behalf of groups including Hezbollah, the Yemeni Houthis, and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. It is part of a “shadow fleet” that carries sanctioned oil from Russia, Iran, and Venezuela.

In mid-December, the United States detained another tanker bound for Venezuela, highlighting ongoing efforts to enforce sanctions.