One Ukrainian crewmember from the sanctioned oil tanker Marinera (formerly Bella1) has been detained by the United States and is being transported to the U.S. for legal proceedings following a high-stakes seizure in the North Atlantic, the Embassy of Ukraine in the United States has confirmed.
The detainment follows the 7 January seizure of the Russian-flagged tanker by U.S. federal authorities under a court order amid sanctions enforcement efforts. The tanker with a crew of 28 seafarers from Ukraine, Russia, Georgia and India was tracked and intercepted while carrying crude oil from Venezuela to Russia.
According to the Ukrainian diplomatic mission, of the 17 Ukrainian crew members aboard 16 have disembarked and returned to the United Kingdom, where the tanker was previously escorted, while the one detained will face procedural actions in the U.S. legal system.
The Ukrainian Embassy said U.S. authorities will inform Ukrainian diplomats once the detained seafarer has been delivered to American territory to ensure consular support and legal oversight; diplomats are maintaining contact with relevant U.S. agencies regarding the case.
