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1h ago

France Seizes Russia-Linked Ghost-Fleet Tanker Off Saint-Nazaire as Judicial Probe Opens

French prosecutors have launched a maritime‑offense inquiry following a military boarding of an EU‑sanctioned tanker off the Atlantic coast.

Des soldats français à bord d'un pétrolier de la flotte fantôme russe, au large de Saint-Nazaire; le 1er octobre 2025
Image
Un pétrolier de la flotte fantôme russe, ici au large de l'île allemande de Rügen, le 17 août 2025. Image d'illustration.
Cette photo aérienne prise le 1er octobre 2025 au large du port de Saint-Nazaire, dans l’ouest de la France, montre le pétrolier Boracay, de la flotte dite « fantôme » russe, soupçonné d’être impliqué dans des vols de drones au-dessus du Danemark.

Overview

  • Military and gendarmerie teams boarded the 244‑meter tanker over the weekend and continued inspections on Wednesday after suspected violations were flagged by the Atlantic maritime prefecture.
  • The Brest prosecutor opened a preliminary investigation for failure to justify the ship’s nationality and refusal to comply with orders, and two crew members were taken into custody.
  • Open-source tracking shows the vessel left Primorsk on September 20 and transited near Danish waters from September 22 to 25 during unexplained drone overflights.
  • Authorities and industry reports identify the ship as Pushpa/Boracay/Kiwala, currently Benin‑flagged, listed under EU and UK sanctions, and long associated with shifting ownership, flags and prior irregularities.
  • President Emmanuel Macron called the operation very important and urged tougher European action against ghost fleets and hybrid threats, while investigators have not confirmed any link to the Danish drone incidents.