France Detains EU‑Sanctioned Tanker Boracay Crew

French navy commandos boarded the Benin‑flagged oil tanker Boracay (formerly Pushpa) and detained two crew members who identified themselves as the captain and first officer; the vessel is anchored off Saint‑Nazaire after failing to prove its nationality. French prosecutors and European officials have linked the EU‑sanctioned ship to Russia’s so‑called “shadow fleet” and say it sailed from the Primorsk terminal en route to India with a large oil cargo, while investigators opened a judicial probe for refusal to cooperate and other serious irregularities. The captain, reportedly a Chinese national, is expected to face trial next year as authorities continue to extend detentions and examine the ship’s movements, which coincided with unexplained drone incidents that forced temporary airport closures in Denmark, though any direct operational link remains unproven. President Emmanuel Macron framed the action as part of a broader European effort to choke revenue for Russia’s war in Ukraine and said members would move toward obstructing suspicious ships. The Kremlin condemned the boarding as 'piracy,' accused Western Europe of undermining commercial navigation and denied knowledge of the vessel, and French prosecutors say the investigation and legal process are ongoing.