US Military Boards Sanctioned Oil Tanker After Global Pursuit/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ U.S. forces boarded a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking it from the Caribbean. The Pentagon said the vessel operated in defiance of U.S. restrictions on sanctioned ships.
Officials did not confirm a seizure as Washington tightens control over illicit oil flows.
Sanctioned Oil Tanker Interdiction Quick Looks
- U.S. military boarded tanker in the Indian Ocean
- Ship tracked from the Caribbean after evading restrictions
- Vessel identified as Aquila II, a Panama-flagged tanker
- Tanker sanctioned over illicit Russian oil shipments
- Ship frequently operated with its transponder turned off
- Pentagon says operation was a “right-of-visit” interdiction
- No confirmation the ship was seized
- Action follows tighter U.S. controls on Venezuelan oil
Deep Look: US Military Boards Sanctioned Oil Tanker After Global Pursuit
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. military forces boarded a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking the vessel across multiple oceans from the Caribbean Sea, the Department of Defense said Monday.
In a brief statement posted on social media, the Pentagon said U.S. forces conducted a “right-of-visit, maritime interdiction” of the tanker after it attempted to evade restrictions placed on sanctioned vessels. Officials did not say whether the ship was seized or whether it was carrying illicit cargo at the time of the boarding.
The tanker was identified as the Aquila II, a Panama-flagged vessel under U.S. sanctions related to the transport of illicit Russian oil. According to ship-tracking data, the vessel was not carrying crude oil on Monday.
From the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean
The Pentagon did not specify whether the tanker was directly linked to Venezuela, which remains under sweeping U.S. oil sanctions and has relied on a network of falsely flagged vessels to move crude onto global markets.
However, Samir Madani, co-founder of TankerTrackers.com, said Aquila II was among at least 16 tankers that departed Venezuela’s coast last month following the U.S. capture of former President Nicolás Maduro.
Madani said his organization used satellite imagery and surface photographs to trace the ship’s movements as it crossed oceans.
Running Dark at Sea
Ship-tracking data shows Aquila II has spent much of the past year operating with its radio transponder switched off — a tactic known as “running dark” that is often used by smugglers to conceal a vessel’s location.
The tanker is owned by a company registered in Hong Kong and has been flagged by U.S. authorities as part of efforts to curb sanctions evasion tied to Russian and Venezuelan oil exports.
The Pentagon said the vessel was operating “in defiance of President Donald Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean.”
“It ran, and we followed,” the statement said.
Broader Oil Strategy
Since the surprise U.S. operation that removed Maduro in early January, the Trump administration has moved aggressively to control Venezuela’s oil production, refining, and exports. Officials have indicated that seizing sanctioned tankers is one way to generate revenue while attempting to stabilize Venezuela’s battered energy sector.
The U.S. has previously seized at least seven sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela.
Trump has also sought to restrict oil flows to Cuba, which remains under strict U.S. sanctions and depends heavily on shipments from allies including Mexico, Russia, and Venezuela. Trump has said no Venezuelan oil will reach Cuba and has signed an executive order threatening tariffs on countries that provide oil to the island.
What Comes Next
U.S. Southern Command, which oversees military operations in Latin America, declined to provide additional details beyond the Pentagon’s statement.
For now, U.S. officials have left open whether Aquila II will be seized or released, but the interdiction signals continued enforcement of Washington’s maritime sanctions as it tightens pressure on illicit global oil networks.
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