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French-Boarded ‘Ghost Fleet’ Tanker Boracay Sails On as Captain Set for Brest Trial

Paris casts the operation as a push to curb sanction‑evading oil trade that finances Russia’s war effort.

Overview

  • The Boracay left its enforced anchorage off Saint‑Nazaire overnight and was tracked heading southwest toward India, according to MarineTraffic, VesselFinder and French authorities.
  • French naval commandos diverted and boarded the 244‑meter tanker over inconsistent nationality paperwork and the absence of a valid flag, the Brest prosecutor said.
  • A judicial inquiry remains open, and the captain is scheduled to face trial in Brest in February on a charge of refusal to comply.
  • Officials have not established any link between the vessel and drone overflights that disrupted Danish air traffic, and the French case centers on flag and documentation issues.
  • Emmanuel Macron argues the interdiction targets a shadow fleet he says channels more than €30 billion to Russia, while Vladimir Putin has condemned the boarding as piracy.