“It Ran, We Followed”: US Tracks and Boards Sanctioned Aquila II Vessel Across Oceans

The US Department of War said American forces carried out a maritime interdiction operation overnight against a sanctioned vessel operating in defiance of a US-imposed quarantine.

According to a statement issued by the Department of War on February 9, US forces conducted a “right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding” of the vessel Aquila II, in the area of responsibility of US Indo-Pacific Command. The operation was completed “without incident.”

The department said the Aquila II had violated a quarantine order imposed by US President Donald Trump on sanctioned vessels operating in the Caribbean.

“The Aquila II was operating in defiance of President Trump's established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean. It ran, and we followed,” the statement said.

US officials said the vessel was tracked across multiple regions after leaving the Caribbean.

“The Department of War tracked and hunted this vessel from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean,” the statement added, emphasizing the global reach of US military capabilities.

The department added that US forces retain the ability to act “by land, air, or sea,” warning that sanctioned actors attempting to evade enforcement “will run out of fuel long before you will outrun us.”

According to the War&Sanctions portal of Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate, Aquila II is involved in the export of sanctioned Russian crude oil and oil products from ports in the Black Sea, Baltic Sea, and Pacific region, including through deceptive practices.

The US operation follows similar enforcement actions elsewhere aimed at curbing sanctioned oil trade.

According to a statement published by the India’s Ministry of Defense on February 7, the Indian Coast Guard has detained three oil tankers sanctioned by the United States for transporting Iranian crude. The operation, conducted on February 5–6, was described as an effort to disrupt a large-scale oil smuggling scheme.

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Indian authorities intercepted the vessels about 160 kilometers west of Mumbai on February 5. The tankers were identified as STELLAR RUBY, ASPHALT STAR, and AL JAFZIA.

Following inspections that included checks of electronic records, shipping documentation, and crew interviews, investigators concluded that the vessels were part of an unlawful transport network. Officials said all three tankers are currently under US sanctions.

Earlier, a blast was reported aboard a Liberian-flagged cargo vessel in the Gulf of Finland while it was sailing toward Russia.

According to the MNS portal, the incident involved the container ship MSC Giada III, which was en route from Belgium to St. Petersburg.

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