By Staff, Agencies

The United States is continuing its pursuit of a large, rusted oil tanker that fled into international waters near Venezuela last weekend, with officials weighing whether to deploy additional resources to seize the vessel, CNN reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

US officials said the tanker, Bella 1, is unlikely to return to port to load oil and remains under monitoring by the US military and Coast Guard.

While authorities could ultimately abandon the effort, plans are reportedly under consideration to deploy a Maritime Special Response Team trained to board non-compliant vessels and take control of ships at sea.

The White House claims the Bella 1 is a “dark fleet” vessel operating under a false flag and subject to US sanctions, adding that a judicial order authorizes its seizure.

The tanker reportedly refused to stop when approached by the Coast Guard, instead turning away and heading into the Atlantic Ocean, where it has remained on the move. Officials noted there is no immediate urgency to board the vessel as it is currently empty.

The incident follows a recent escalation in US maritime actions near Venezuela. In December 2025, US forces seized the supertanker Skipper off the Caribbean coast, prompting strong criticism from Caracas, which described the move as piracy and a violation of international law.

Days later, another tanker, Centuries, was intercepted in international waters, further fueling regional backlash over Washington’s maritime enforcement campaign.