Footage shows moment US special forces storm tanker | World | News
A US official has released footage showing American military forces boarding a tanker during a pre-dawn operation at sea. The clip, shared by US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristy Noem, shows US Coast Guard tactical teams carrying out a coordinated boarding of a so-called ‘ghost fleet’ vessel as part of a wider operation targeting tankers linked to Venezuela.
In a post on X, Ms Noem said the operation was one of two back-to-back boardings carried out before dawn, with US forces intercepting tankers in the North Atlantic and near the Caribbean, describing them as part of a ‘ghost fleet’. She claimed one vessel, the Motor Tanker Bella I, had tried to evade capture for weeks by changing its flag to a Russian one and repainting its name, but said US Coast Guard crews «pursued it across the high seas and through treacherous storms» under what she called President Donald Trump’s «America First at sea» leadership.
Ms Noem wrote on X: «In two predawn operations today, the Coast Guard conducted back-to-back meticulously coordinated boarding of two ‘ghost fleet’ tanker ships – one in the North Atlantic Sea and one in international waters near the Caribbean.»
Ms Noem said the US Coast Guard worked alongside the Departments of Defence, Justice and State to carry out what she described as safe and effective boardings within hours of each other.
She added: «The world’s criminals are on notice. You can run, but you can’t hide. We will never relent in our mission to protect the American people and disrupt the funding of narco terrorism wherever we find it, period.»
British armed forces also provided support to the US-led operation, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. UK assets including RAF surveillance aircraft and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ship RFA Tideforce were involved in assisting the overnight seizure of the tanker Marinera.
An MoD spokesperson said the operation was carried out by US forces with UK military elements in a supporting role, as part of wider international efforts to enforce sanctions against so-called “ghost fleet” vessels.
The Russian-flagged tanker is now reported to be in US custody following the boarding in the North Atlantic, while a second vessel, the M Sophia, was intercepted in a separate but simultaneous operation near the Caribbean.
The tanker boardings are part of a broader US campaign to enforce sanctions and crack down on so-called ‘ghost’ or ‘shadow’ fleets – vessels that authorities say try to evade international trade restrictions by hiding their movements, switching identities and sailing under different flags. These ships are accused of carrying oil linked to sanctioned countries such as Venezuela and operating outside normal tracking to avoid detection.
In December, the US began an active maritime blockade aimed at intercepting such tankers attempting to trade Venezuelan crude, including previous seizures of other vessels thought to be part of sanction-busting networks.
The Bella I – later renamed Marinera and sailing under a Russian flag – was tracked for weeks as it tried to slip past the blockade before being seized in the North Atlantic, while the Sophia was intercepted near the Caribbean in the same series of operations.
US officials say the moves are aimed at cutting off revenue streams they believe help sustain illicit activity and criminal networks tied to those regimes.
