French troops rappelled onto the rusted deck of the Tagor from a naval helicopter hovering overhead. With the help of British forces, they were intercepting a sanctioned oil tanker suspected of being part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet”.
The rusted tanker had left Russia’s northern shores at the end of May, originally sailing under the flag of Madagascar, but switching to Cameroon mid-voyage.
But the Cameroon maritime register has been closed since February, and the ship stood accused of fuelling Russia’s war in Ukraine. The ship’s false flag, and its mid-voyage change of allegiance, made it a sitting duck for Europe’s next interdiction against Vladimir Putin’s illicit fleet.
Shorts
As the Tagor sailed towards the Atlantic, the HMS Somerset – a British warship carrying the UK Special Force’s maritime task force – and its accompanying helicopter, helped monitor and track the vessel.
