France has detained a Russian national, the captain of the shadow fleet tanker Tagor, seized by French forces on Sunday, and faces a year in prison and a fine.
The captain of a tanker intercepted in the Atlantic Ocean by the French navy was taken into custody on Tuesday, June 2, Brest prosecutor Stephane Kellenberger said.
The Russian national faces a year in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros for sailing without a flag and refusing to obey orders at sea. The vessel could also be seized. The tanker, moored in the Gulf of Douarnenez, will be detained pending an investigation.
The shipowner, whose identity is yet to be determined, could face the same penalties.
According to the prosecutor, the captain of the vessel refused to carry out orders from the French military, which prompted them to take control of the tanker.
It is noted that the sanctioned vessel has repeatedly changed its flag, in particular, sailing under the flags of Madagascar, the Marshall Islands and Panama.
As reported, the interception of the oil tanker of the Russian «shadow fleet» Tagor took place on Sunday at a distance of more than 400 nautical miles (740 kilometers) west of the extreme point of Brittany.
