00:00U.S. forces have seized two sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela in back-to-back
00:05actions in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean, officials said on Wednesday.
00:10The United States had been chasing the first oil tanker, formerly known as the Bella One,
00:15since it evaded a partial U.S. blockade around Venezuela and thwarted an attempt by the U.S.
00:20Coast Guard to board it late last month. U.S. European Command said a Coast Guard cutter had
00:26pursued the tanker into the waters between Scotland and Iceland. U.S. media reported
00:31that Russia had sent a submarine to escort the empty oil tanker. It was re-flagged as
00:37Russian and renamed the marinara after turning toward Europe. U.S. officials said the tanker
00:43is part of a shadow fleet carrying oil for countries such as Venezuela, Russia and Iran
00:49in violation of U.S. sanctions. The developments are the latest in U.S. President Donald Trump's
00:55crackdown on sanctioned oil tankers going to and from Venezuela. The oil tanker guarded by Russia
01:02had been en route to Venezuela but was not carrying cargo before it evaded the U.S. blockade.
