Macron Reports Seizure of Oil Tanker in Indian Ocean

France's president announced that the country's naval forces have stopped a tanker in the Indian Ocean that is alleged to be linked to "illegal fuel transport."

According to Ambassador Arjan, French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on Monday evening on X social network: This morning, more than 450 nautical miles south of Reunion, our navy seized the oil tanker DF Peak, which is suspected of sailing under a false flag and involved in illegal fuel transportation.

Macron released the message with a short video that appears to show the attack on the ship by French military personnel.

According to the maritime traffic service report, this tanker was traveling under the flag of Benin.

Without mentioning the connection of this issue to Russia, the French President emphasized his country's determination to fight against the "shadow fleet" around the world and said: This operation, which was carried out in accordance with the international laws of the sea, shows our determination to comply with the law and fight all types of illegal smuggling, wherever it occurs.

The 21 crew members of this tanker, who were of several nationalities, remained on board under the supervision of French military personnel.

In an interview with Ambassador Arjan, Artem Studnikov, the director of the first European department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, said that the seizure of oil tankers under the flags of different countries by France is considered piracy and piracy.