Captain of suspected Russian shadow tanker into French custody

[ad_1] <img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/68ad/live/5bd25b00-f9fd-11f0-a24b-df29ade509fc.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/68ad/live/5bd25b00-f9fd-11f0-a24b-df29ade509fc.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/68ad/live/5bd25b00-f9fd-11f0-a24b-df29ade509fc.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/68ad/live/5bd25b00-f9fd-11f0-a24b-df29ade509fc.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/68ad/live/5bd25b00-f9fd-11f0-a24b-df29ade509fc.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/68ad/live/5bd25b00-f9fd-11f0-a24b-df29ade509fc.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/68ad/live/5bd25b00-f9fd-11f0-a24b-df29ade509fc.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/68ad/live/5bd25b00-f9fd-11f0-a24b-df29ade509fc.png.webp" loading="eager" alt="Reuters A French navy boat surrounds the GRINCH oil tanker, intercepted by France in the Alboran Sea on suspicion of operating under a false flag and belonging to Russia's shadow fleet" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> Reuters The Grinch was intercepted by the French navy on Thursday

French officers have taken the Indian captain of a suspected Russian shadow fleet tanker into custody days after the oil tanker was seized.

On Thursday, the French navy intercepted the tanker - named the Grinch - which President Emmanuel Macron stated was "topic to worldwide sanctions and suspected of flying a false flag".

The Grinch had been travelling via the Mediterranean Sea from the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk. It's now moored, underneath guard, at a southern French port close to Marseille.

Though Moscow is but to remark, Macron stated on Thursday that the shadow fleet helped to "finance Russia's struggle of aggression in opposition to Ukraine".

The workplace of the Marseille prosecutor workplace stated the remainder of the ship's crew members - all additionally Indians - had been being "stored on board" whereas the 58-year-old captain was taken into custody.

"The investigation goals to confirm the validity of the flag utilized by the tanker," prosecutors stated. French media report say it was crusing underneath a Comoros Islands flag.

Nautical and air exclusion zones have been established across the anchorage web site, officers say.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/6581/live/2d0a7ee0-f7b1-11f0-9746-bbf190b04917.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/6581/live/2d0a7ee0-f7b1-11f0-9746-bbf190b04917.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/6581/live/2d0a7ee0-f7b1-11f0-9746-bbf190b04917.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/6581/live/2d0a7ee0-f7b1-11f0-9746-bbf190b04917.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/6581/live/2d0a7ee0-f7b1-11f0-9746-bbf190b04917.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/6581/live/2d0a7ee0-f7b1-11f0-9746-bbf190b04917.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/6581/live/2d0a7ee0-f7b1-11f0-9746-bbf190b04917.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/6581/live/2d0a7ee0-f7b1-11f0-9746-bbf190b04917.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="French Joint Staff of the Armed Forces Soldiers talk to people on the oil tanker" class="sc-5340b511-0 hLdNfA"/> French Joint Workers of the Armed Forces Troopers searched the vessel after it was seized within the Mediterranean

Asserting the seizure on Thursday , Macron stated: "We're decided to uphold worldwide legislation and to make sure the efficient enforcement of sanctions."

Many Western nations imposed sanctions on Russian vitality following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Earlier in January, British armed forces supported a US operation to grab a Russian-flagged tanker within the Atlantic that US officers stated had damaged sanctions by carrying oil for Venezuela and Russia.