A tanker accused of being part of Russia’s “shadow fleet” of sanction-busting ships resumed its voyage on Friday, six days after it was seized by the French navy off the coast of western France.
Maritime tracking websites Marine Traffic and Vesselfinder showed the Boracay, which claims to be flagged in Benin, heading towards the Suez Canal.
The vessel, also known as the Pushpa or the Kiwala, has been blacklisted by the European Union for being part of a fleet of ageing oil tankers used to bypass sanctions on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine three years ago.
It was boarded on Saturday by French authorities who detained the captain and first mate.
The skipper, who is due to appear in a French court in February over failing to comply with navy orders, was back on the vessel on Friday along with his chief officer, a source close to the case said.
France to try Chinese captain of Russia 'shadow fleet' vessel
Back on board
“They were brought back to their ship after being released from custody,” a source close to the case told the French news agency AFP.
French prosecutors said on Thursday that the Boracay was stopped because of inconsistencies over its registration while it was carrying a large cargo of Russian oil bound for India.
The Boracay has been linked to mysterious drone flights over Denmark last month, including military sites. They were part of a spate of drone sightings and airspace violations in European countries blamed on Russia although Moscow denies responsibility.
Russia's president, Vladimir Putin, condemned France's detention of the vessel as "piracy" and promised to react to what he called European threats.
"We are closely monitoring the rising militarisation of Europe," Putin told a foreign policy forum in the city of Sochi, southern Russia.
"The tanker was seized in neutral waters without any justification" adding that there was no military cargo onboard. "This is piracy," he said.
"Retaliatory measures by Russia will not take long. The response to such threats will be very significant. Russia will never show weakness or indecisiveness."
Moldova's pro-EU party ahead in polls overshadowed by Russian meddling claims
Airspace incidents
The airspace incidents are adding to tension between European nations and Moscow, already riding high over Russia's war on Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron urged European countries to do more to thwart Moscow's efforts to skirt Western sanctions.
Speaking at a summit in Denmark, Macron said Europe needed to “kill the business model” of transporting Russian oil on ageing, foreign-flagged tankers by detaining such ships.
The Boracay left the Russian port of Primorsk near Saint Petersburg on 20 September, shipping data shows.
Marine Traffic data indicates it is scheduled to arrive in the Indian port of Vadinar on 20 October.
