Overview

• French naval forces boarded the Benin‑flagged tanker off Saint‑Nazaire and prosecutors opened a probe into refusal to cooperate and failure to justify the ship’s nationality.
• Two crew members who identified themselves as the captain and first mate were taken into custody, with reports diverging on their status as AFP cites extended detention and AP reports release with the captain summoned to trial on February 23.
• Ship‑tracking shows the vessel was off Denmark from September 22 to 25 during drone disruptions that closed airports, a possible link authorities have not confirmed.
• The tanker has operated under multiple names — Pushpa, Boracay, Kiwala — is blacklisted by the EU and UK, departed Primorsk on September 20, and was reportedly destined for Vadinar, India.
• Macron called for coordinated European action, citing hundreds of aging tankers in the shadow fleet and arguing that temporary detentions can undercut revenues that help finance Russia’s war.