The Russian tanker of the 'shadow fleet' Boracay, detained in France, has been allowed to continue its journey with the captain on board, informed sources report, writes LETA citing AFP.
The vessel is heading towards the Suez Canal, according to maritime traffic data.
On Wednesday, representatives of the French armed forces boarded the vessel and detained the captain and the senior officer. On Thursday, the prosecutor's office stated that the captain would stand trial in February on charges of disobeying orders from the French Navy. The senior officer was released. However, today sources reported that the captain has also been released — both have returned to the ship, which left the French coast on Thursday evening.
The French prosecutor's office explained on Thursday that the vessel was stopped because it was unclear which country it was registered in. The tanker is transporting a large shipment of oil from Russia to India.
There are suspicions that Boracay may also be linked to drone flights in Denmark last month that caused disruptions at airports.
The vessel is sailing under the flag of Benin. The European Union has blacklisted this Russian tanker of the 'shadow fleet'. From September 22 to 25, it was off the coast of Denmark.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called on Europe to increase pressure on the Russian 'shadow fleet' and to follow France's example by detaining vessels used to circumvent sanctions imposed against Moscow.
The EU has imposed sanctions on hundreds of outdated tankers that Russia uses to bypass oil export restrictions introduced after the renewed invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
A source in the French armed forces told AFP that "between 10 and 15 shadow fleet vessels pass by Brest daily."
