There were three Indians among the 28 crew members aboard the Marinera, a vessel seized by the United States in the North Atlantic on Wednesday, reported Russia Today.
Other crew members included 20 Ukrainians, six Georgians and two Russians. Marinera, which was earlier named Bella 1, was chartered by a private trader and operating under the Russian flag.
All the crew, including the Indian trio, are detained by US officials.
Washington claimed that the vessel was moving oil linked to Venezuela, bypassing international sanctions.
However, Moscow accused the US of violating international maritime law. “The boarding of American military personnel on a peaceful vessel on the high seas and its actual capture, as well as the detention of the crew, cannot be interpreted as anything other than a gross violation of the fundamental principles and norms of international maritime law and freedom of navigation,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Russian foreign ministry said it was closely monitoring the development and sought humane treatment and prompt return of citizens aboard the tanker.
“We reiterate our demand that the US ensure humane and dignified treatment of the Russian citizens comprising the tanker’s crew, strictly observe their rights and interests, and make no obstacles to their prompt return to their homeland,” the foreign ministry stated.
Kremlin said the Trump administration had been repeatedly provided with reliable information, including from the Russian foreign ministry, about the ship’s Russian origin and its civilian status.
“Russia did not give consent to these actions. On the contrary, it lodged an official protest with the US government regarding the pursuit of the Marinera by a US Coast Guard vessel over the past several weeks, insisting on the immediate cessation of these activities and the withdrawal of the unlawful demands made on the Russian ship’s captain,” the ministry added.
3 Indians among crew aboard Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera seized by US
