US seizes another oil tanker in Caribbean (VIDEO)

The US military has announced the seizure of another oil tanker in the Caribbean Sea, claiming the move is part of efforts aimed at “ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere.” 

The vessel, the Olina, was boarded without incident early on Friday morning, the US Southern Command said in a statement. The tanker was said to have been flying the flag of Timor-Leste at the moment it was boarded. It was reportedly previously spotted traveling from Venezuela and had recently returned to the region.

“The Department of War’s Operation Southern Spear is unwavering in its mission to defend our homeland by ending illicit activity and restoring security in the Western Hemisphere,” the command said.

Footage released by the US military shows a large, heavily armed group of servicemen disembarking from a helicopter hovering above the tanker. The servicemen are then seen heading to the vessel’s superstructure.

The Olina is the fifth vessel to be seized by the US amid the blockade imposed on Venezuela. Earlier this week, the US military took control of two tankers believed to be linked to the country, the Sophia and the Marinera, previously known as Bella 1. The former vessel was apprehended in the Caribbean without incident.

The latter tanker had been pursued by the US Coast Guard since late December, when its crew refused to allow American servicemen on board and headed for the Atlantic from the Caribbean.

During the pursuit, the ship secured a temporary sailing permit from Russia, switching to the country’s flag and changing its name. 

The vessel was ultimately intercepted on Wednesday in international waters northwest of Scotland in a large-scale US military operation, backed by the UK. Moscow has condemned the seizure of the vessel as a gross violation of international maritime rules and a breach of the UN Convention.

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