WASHINGTON: US military forces boarded a sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean after tracking it from the Caribbean Sea, as part of Washington’s efforts to enforce an oil quarantine targeting Venezuela, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Monday.
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The tanker, Aquila II, was intercepted after fleeing Venezuelan waters following a US operation earlier this year that led to the removal of then-president Nicolás Maduro. According to US officials, the ship was among several vessels that departed the Venezuelan coast in an attempt to evade sanctions enforcement.
Venezuela has long faced US sanctions on its oil sector and has relied on a shadow fleet of falsely flagged tankers to move crude into global markets. Hegseth said the US military was determined to pursue all such vessels, regardless of location. Speaking to shipyard workers in Maine, he said none of the tankers attempting to evade the quarantine would be allowed to escape.
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Unlike several earlier cases, Aquila II has not yet been formally seized and placed under US control. A defence official said the vessel is currently being held while US authorities determine its final disposition. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of ongoing deliberations.
The Panamanian-flagged Aquila II is under US sanctions linked to the shipment of illicit Russian oil and is owned by a company registered in Hong Kong. Ship-tracking data indicates that it frequently operated with its transponder turned off, a tactic known as “running dark,” commonly used to conceal movements. Data transmitted on Monday showed the tanker was not carrying crude oil at the time.
The Pentagon said the military conducted a “right-of-visit maritime interdiction” on the vessel, confirming that US Navy ships, including USS Pinckney, USS John Finn and USS Miguel Keith, were operating in the Indian Ocean during the operation.
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The action forms part of broader US efforts to control Venezuela’s oil production and distribution and to restrict oil flows to Cuba, which relies heavily on foreign energy supplies.