The French navy has intercepted and boarded a sanctioned tanker in the Atlantic Ocean. President Emmanuel Macron said the vessel, named Tagor, “originated” from Russia.
A video shared by Mr Macron showed troops fast roping down from a helicopter onto the vessel. The French president said the ship was interdicted in international waters with the help of allies, including Britain. He wrote on X: “The French Navy intercepted a new tanker under international sanctions yesterday morning, originating from Russia: the Tagor. Our determination is steadfast and unwavering.
“This operation was carried out in the Atlantic, in international waters, with the support of several partners including the United Kingdom, in strict compliance with the law of the sea.
“It is unacceptable for ships to circumvent international sanctions, violate the law of the sea, and fund the war that Russia has been waging against Ukraine for more than 4 years.
“These vessels, which fail to adhere to the most basic rules of maritime navigation, also pose a threat to the environment and to everyone’s safety.”
In a separate statement, the Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic said the French navy had intervened on an oil tanker more than 400 nautical miles west of the tip of Britanny, north-west France.
The vessel — which it did not name — had been sailing from the port city of Murmansk in Russia, the French authority said.
It said: “This operation was aimed at checking the nationality of a vessel suspected of flying a false flag.
“After the inspection team boarded the vessel, an examination of the documents confirmed suspicions regarding the irregularity of the flag flown. In accordance with international law and at the request of the public prosecutor, the vessel was diverted.”
