Overview
- U.S. vessels have tracked the tanker Bella 1 at roughly half a nautical mile for nearly two weeks in international waters.
- Crew members painted a crude Russian flag on the hull, which U.S. officials say appears aimed at claiming Russian protection.
- Equasis lists the ship’s registration as unknown, and officials say an earlier Guyana flag may have been invalid.
- Maritime-law experts note that painting a flag does not confer nationality, and the U.S. is seeking diplomatic verification of any Russian registry.
- The White House is weighing a boarding order by a maritime special operations team as some officials question the value of seizing the aging, reportedly empty vessel.