Overview

• French naval forces boarded the tanker off Saint-Nazaire and remain on board as the vessel stays under French control.
• The Brest prosecutor said two crew members identified as the captain and helmsman were detained as part of a judicial inquiry.
• Investigators are probing a lack of proof of nationality and refusal to comply with instructions, offenses carrying up to one year in prison and a €150,000 fine.
• The ship, known as Boracay and Pushpa and currently flying Benin’s flag, is on the EU sanctions list as part of Russia’s opaque oil ‘shadow fleet’ that frequently changes names and flags.
• VesselFinder data reported by AFP placed the tanker near Danish waters during Sept. 22–25 drone disruptions, and while analysts have floated a possible launch-platform role, no attribution has been established as EU officials cite a Russia-linked pattern that the Kremlin rejects.