Overview
- The Pentagon said U.S. forces conducted a right-of-visit maritime interdiction on the Aquila II without incident and released video of commandos fast-roping onto the deck with overwatch from a helicopter sniper.
- Officials said the vessel was tracked from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, where it was intercepted near the Sunda Strait after allegedly defying the quarantine on sanctioned traffic.
- The Panamanian-flagged tanker has been sanctioned over illicit Russian oil movements and, according to trackers, has frequently operated with its transponder off as part of the shadow fleet.
- PDVSA schedules indicated the ship departed Venezuela in early January carrying about 700,000 barrels reportedly bound for China, though ship data on Monday indicated it was not currently laden.
- Public statements described a boarding and interdiction but did not confirm a formal seizure, as the action was portrayed as part of a broader campaign that has already taken at least seven Venezuela-linked tankers.