The U.S. Coast Guard is waiting for additional forces to arrive before potentially attempting to board and seize a Venezuela-linked oil tanker it has been pursuing since Sunday, a U.S. official and a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The ship, which maritime groups have identified as the Bella 1, has refused to be boarded by the Coast Guard. That means that the task will likely fall to one of just two teams of specialists - known as Maritime Security Response Teams - who can board vessels under these circumstances, including by rappelling from helicopters.
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Coast Guard officials on the Ford were from a Maritime Security Response Team and at the time too far from Bella 1 to carry out a boarding operation.
“There are limited teams who are trained for these types of boardings,” said Corey Ranslem, chief executive of maritime security group Dryad Global and previously with the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment and Reuters could not determine what, if any other reasons, have led to the Coast Guard not seizing the vessel yet.
The administration could ultimately choose to not board and seize the vessel.
previous post https://hexbear.net/post/7118960
For clarity purposes, US pirated ‘Skipper’ oil tanker on December 10 and pirated ‘Centuries’ oil tanker on December 20. Then failed to pirate ‘Bella 1’ oil tanker on December 21.
maritime security group Dryad Global
Oh we have privateers again
Dryad Global is like the name of a company that plants trees or somesuch.
“south african institute for maritime research”-ass name
they’re such mewling cowards
never forget the fash are wimps, never mistake their blustering for strength
