Russian Tanker Idles Near Venezuela After Encounter with U.S. Warship
A Russian tanker, the Seahorse, is currently stalled in Caribbean waters after being repeatedly thwarted in attempts too deliver oil to Venezuela, according to a report by Bloomberg. The tanker’s path was initially disrupted on November 13 by a U.S.destroyer, the USS Stockdale, which positioned itself in front of the vessel as it traveled toward the South American nation.
The incident is unusual, as Russian oil tankers typically maintain consistent routes between Cuba and Venezuela. The Seahorse initially altered course back to Cuba following the encounter, then made two further attempts to reach Venezuela before ultimately remaining in a holding pattern.The U.S. Navy deployed the Stockdale and a dozen other warships to the Caribbean in late September as part of an anti-drug operation announced by President Donald Trump.
The Seahorse is subject to sanctions imposed by the United Kingdom and the European Union and is one of four Russian ships delivering oil to Venezuela, which holds the world’s largest oil reserves but struggles to capitalize on them due to its economic and political challenges.The reason for the U.S. Navy’s intervention remains unclear, Bloomberg reported.
