'Three Indians on board': Russian tanker seizure sparks US-Russia row; crew details out

Three Indian nationals are among the crew of the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera, which was seized by the United States in the North Atlantic on January 6, according to local media reports. The seizure has triggered sharp diplomatic exchanges between Washington and Moscow, with Russia accusing the US of violating international maritime law and engaging in what it termed “neo-colonialist” behaviour.

According to Russia Today, the Marinera’s multinational crew comprises 17 Ukrainians, six Georgians, three Indians and two Russians. There was no immediate word on the condition of the crew or their next course of action following the interception.

Russia slams ‘illegal’ seizure

Moscow strongly criticised the US action, calling on Washington to adhere to established norms governing navigation on the high seas. In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it had repeatedly communicated information about the vessel — formerly named Bella-1 — to US authorities prior to the seizure.

“The United States must resume compliance with the fundamental norms of international maritime navigation and immediately halt its illegal actions against the Marinera and other law-abiding vessels operating on the high seas,” the ministry said.

Russia rejected US claims that national sanctions legislation justified the interception, calling such arguments “unfounded.” It also condemned remarks by US officials suggesting the seizure was part of a broader effort to assert control over Venezuela’s natural resources, describing them as “extremely cynical” and reflective of Washington’s “neo-colonialist tendencies.”

The ministry further argued that unilateral sanctions imposed by the US and its allies are illegitimate and cannot be used to justify the capture of vessels in international waters.

Vessel tracked, renamed

The tanker has been under US scrutiny for weeks. The ship, then operating as Bella-1, was intercepted last month by US forces but managed to evade seizure. According to Russia’s Transport Ministry, the vessel later switched its registration to Russia and changed its name to Marinera.

Shipping databases show that as US authorities pursued the ship, its crew painted a Russian flag on the hull, underscoring its change in registry.

US officials said the vessel was seized due to its alleged links to Venezuela, which remains under sweeping US sanctions. The US Southern Command also confirmed the seizure of a second vessel, the Panama-flagged M Sophia, describing it as a “stateless, sanctioned dark-fleet motor tanker.”

The M Sophia had been sanctioned in 2024 over allegations of smuggling cargo for a company linked to Hezbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group.

Chase across the Atlantic

US authorities said they had been tracking the Bella-1 since December after it attempted to evade a blockade on sanctioned oil shipments linked to Venezuela. The tanker was cruising across the Atlantic and nearing the Caribbean on December 15 when it abruptly changed course and headed north towards Europe.

That move came days after the US conducted its first tanker seizure on December 10 involving a ship that had departed Venezuela with oil. When the US Coast Guard attempted to board the Bella-1 during that period, the vessel fled.

The US European Command later said the Coast Guard had tracked the ship “pursuant to a warrant issued by a US federal court,” eventually leading to Wednesday’s interception in the North Atlantic.