Overview
- French Navy boarded the tanker off Saint‑Nazaire on October 1 and detained two crew members who claimed to be the captain during a check for registry irregularities.
- Prosecutors opened an inquiry after the crew failed to prove the vessel’s flag and allegedly disobeyed orders, focusing on suspected violations of maritime law.
- French media report the crew have been released and the ship has set out again after its stop off France’s west coast, though officials have not detailed the next steps.
- AFP reports the detained crew are Chinese and the tanker, reported as Benin‑flagged under names including Boracay and Pushpa, has repeatedly changed names and registries and is sanctioned by the EU and the UK.
- Authorities are examining reports that the ship may be linked to late‑September drone flights over Denmark, a claim Russia denies as the tanker’s September departure from Russia for India remains under scrutiny.