U.S. Forces seize a tanker, Indian Ocean
Issued: 4 months, 3 weeks ago
| Date | Reference | Region | Category | Aggressors | Source |
| 2026-02-24 00:01:00 | CWD Notification 009- (Feb 26) | Indian Ocean | OSINT | Military | Open source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open-sources have reported that U.S Forces have seized a Cook Islands flagged tanker in the Indian Ocean (exact time not specified). U.S. military forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding on the tanker without incident. It was further reported that the tanker had reportedly left Venezuelan waters in early January carrying nearly 1.9 Million barrels of heavy crude bound for Chinese refineries. Reports state the tanker was part of a flotilla that departed Venezuela following the capture of the Venezuelan President on 3rd January 2026. The vessel last reported on AIS on 24th February 2026, sailing in the Indian Ocean off the Maldives. | |||||