Crew paints Russian flag on tanker Bella 1 as US Coast Guard pursues it across Atlantic

The crew of the US-sanctioned tanker Bella 1 painted a Russian flag on its hull and claimed the ship was now under Russian authority while being trailed by the US Coast Guard, Euronews reports. The ship refused a boarding attempt near Venezuela on 21 December and fled into the Atlantic, with the Coast Guard following for over ten days while Washington clarified its legal status. President Donald Trump said the US would end up getting it. Washington sanctioned the tanker in 2024 for allegedly carrying Iranian crude.

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