The French Navy has detained two senior crew members from a Russian-linked tanker blacklisted by the European Union, amid investigations into suspicious drone flights in Denmark.
The vessel, Boracay, is flagged to Benin and forms part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet,” a network of ageing oil tankers accused of circumventing Western sanctions. The 244-meter-long ship was boarded by French forces on Saturday and has since remained anchored off Saint-Nazaire in western France.
Prosecutors in Brest confirmed on Wednesday that the ship’s captain and first mate were taken into custody. “An investigation was launched over the crew’s failure to justify the nationality of the vessel and refusal to cooperate,” Brest prosecutor Stephane Kellenberger told AFP.
The Boracay drew attention after being stationed off Denmark between September 22 and 25, coinciding with unexplained drone sightings across the country. Drones were reported over sensitive military sites, leading to temporary airport closures and a nationwide ban on civilian drone flights until September 27.
President Emmanuel Macron described the situation as involving “serious offences,” though he refrained from directly linking the ship to the drone incidents. Speaking at an EU leaders’ summit in Copenhagen, Macron said he would “remain very careful,” stressing that the matter was now in judicial hands.
Built in 2007 and previously known as Pushpa and Kiwala, the tanker was blacklisted by the EU in February for sanction-busting activities. According to MarineTraffic data, the Boracay departed the Russian port of Primorsk on September 20 and was scheduled to reach Vadinar in India on October 20.
Specialist maritime outlets suggested that the tanker and similar ships could have been used either as launch platforms or decoys for the drone flights. However, officials have yet to confirm any operational link.
The case highlights wider European concerns over Russia’s “shadow fleet,” estimated at 600 to 1,000 vessels. Macron noted that the fleet generates “tens of billions of euros” and accounts for nearly “40% of Russia’s war effort” since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The Boracay’s detention underscores the growing maritime security challenges facing Europe as it seeks to enforce sanctions and curb Russia’s capacity to bypass restrictions. For now, French authorities continue their investigation into both the vessel’s role in sanctions evasion and its possible ties to the Danish drone mystery.