The US may act to seize a Russian-flagged oil tanker heading across the Atlantic to Europe, CBS News, the BBC’s media partner in the US, reported.
Two US officials told the broadcaster that American forces plan to intercept the ship, which historically has carried Venezuelan crude oil and is thought to be between Scotland and Iceland.
President Donald Trump said last month that he was ordering a “blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, a move the government there described as “theft”.
Ahead of his seizure of the country’s former leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Trump had repeatedly accused Venezuela’s government of using ships to bring drugs to American shores.
The US coastguard tried to board the Bella 1 last month in the Caribbean when it was believed to be heading towards Venezuela.
They had obtained a warrant to seize the ship, accused of breaking US sanctions and shipping Iranian oil.
It then dramatically changed course, as well as its name to the Marinera, reportedly reflagging from a Guyanan to a Russian vessel.
Its approach to Europe has coincided with the arrival of around 10 US military transport aircraft in the UK as well as helicopters.
Russia says it is “monitoring with concern” the situation around the ship.
CBS News reported that the two US officials said American forces preferred to seize the ship rather than sink it.
The Marinera is believed to be between Scotland and Iceland, with the distance and weather making a boarding difficult.
If any US military operation were to be launched from the UK then Washington would be expected to inform its ally.
For now the UK Ministry of Defence says it will not comment on other nations’ military activities.
They suggested that the US could mount an operation like one conducted last month when US Marines and special operation forces working with the US Coast Guard seized The Skipper, a large crude oil tanker flagged out of Guyana, after the vessel left port in Venezuela.
AIS (automatic identification system) tracking data for the tanker, which can be spoofed or faked, suggests it was in the North Atlantic approximately 2,000km (1,200 miles) west of continental Europe on Tuesday.
Under international law, vessels flying a country’s flag are under the protection of that nation but Dimitris Ampatzidis, senior risk and compliance analyst at maritime intelligence firm Kpler, told BBC Verify changing the ship’s name and flag might not change much.
“US action is driven by the vessel’s underlying identity [IMO number], ownership/control networks, and sanctions history, not by its painted markings or flag claim,” he said.
Ampatzidis added that changing to the Russian registry might cause “diplomatic friction” but would not stop any US enforcement action.
Russia’s foreign ministry said it was “closely monitoring with concern the abnormal situation around the Russian oil tanker Marinera”.
“At present, our vessel is sailing in the international waters of the North Atlantic under the state flag of the Russian Federation and in full compliance with the norms of international maritime law,” it added.
“For reasons unclear to us, the Russian ship is being given increased and clearly disproportionate attention by the US and Nato military, despite its peaceful status,” it said.
“We expect that Western countries, which declare their commitment to freedom of navigation on the high seas, will begin adhering to this principle themselves.”
The potential stand-off over the oil tanker comes days after the US shocked the world by using military force to seize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a Russian ally, from the capital Caracas.
It bombarded targets in the city during the operation to extricate him and his wife on suspicion of weapon and drug offences.
