Exclusive: #US eyes additional #CoastGuard assets to seize fleeing tanker
The #USCG is waiting for additional forces to arrive before potentially attempting to board & seize a #Venezuela linked #OilTanker it has been pursuing since Sunday….
The ship, which maritime groups have identified as the #Bella1, has refused to be boarded by the Coast Guard.
#RunBellaRun #Trump #law #military #WarPowers #Congress #InternationalLaw #piracy #theft #RegimeChange #oil
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/us-eyes-additional-coast-guard-assets-seize-fleeing-tanker-sources-say-2025-12-24/?utm_source=braze&utm_medium=notifications&utm_campaign=2025_engagement
That means that the task will likely fall to 1 of just 2 teams of specialists - known as Maritime Security Response Teams - who can board vessels under these circumstances, including by rappelling from helicopters.
The days-long pursuit highlights the mismatch between the #Trump admin's desire to seize “sanctioned” #oil tankers near #Venezuela & the limited resources of the agency that is mainly carrying out operations, the #CoastGuard.