US Boards Third Tanker in Indian Ocean for Violating Caribbean Oil Blockade
According to the US Armed Forces, "the vessel was operating in defiance of President (US Donald) Trump's quarantine on sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean and attempted to evade it."
TL;DR
- US forces intercepted a third oil tanker, the Bertha, in the Indian Ocean.
- The tanker was accused of violating the US blockade on crude oil operations related to Venezuela and Cuba.
- The Bertha attempted to evade the US blockade, using alias 'Ekta' and falsifying coordinates.
- This is the third vessel intercepted in the Indian Ocean under similar circumstances, following Aquila II and Veronica III.
- The US has enforced a maritime 'quarantine' on sanctioned tankers entering or leaving Venezuela since December 2025, as part of Operation Lanza del Sur.