Overview
- U.S. Coast Guard cutters have shadowed the Bella 1 for more than 10 days at roughly a half‑mile distance in the Atlantic.
- A forcible boarding was put on hold after a crudely painted Russian flag appeared, with special forces awaiting White House authorization.
- Officials say the intercept began when the ship was found to lack a valid national flag, which would permit boarding under international law.
- The tanker’s transponder has been off since December 17, it turned northwest away from Venezuela, and it is not believed to be carrying cargo.
- Owned by a Turkish company, the Bella 1 is under U.S. sanctions for transporting Iranian oil linked to terror financing and is described as part of a shadow fleet targeted by recent interdictions.