U.S. military forces have intercepted and boarded the sanctioned oil tanker Aquila II in the Indian Ocean after a lengthy pursuit that began in the Caribbean Sea. The operation, carried out under the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, concluded one of the longest maritime enforcement actions seen in recent years.
According to reports, the Aquila II was intercepted in the Indian Ocean while it was heading toward the Sunda Strait, between the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra.
Eighth Tanker Seized
The seizure of Aquila II marks the eighth tanker in a growing series of U.S. actions against sanctioned vessels. Pentagon officials said the tanker was tracked across thousands of nautical miles after leaving Venezuelan waters. The vessel was accused of violating a U.S. “quarantine” on sanctioned ships and defying efforts to halt illicit oil shipments.
Shadow Fleet Vessel
The crude tanker Aquila II (IMO 9281152) was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury on January 10, 2025, for ties to Russia’s energy sector. It previously operated under aliases and frequently turned off its transponder, a tactic used by so-called “shadow fleet” vessels to avoid detection.
U.S. officials say this boarding reflects an intensifying crackdown on sanctioned oil movements, with the Aquila II among at least 16 tankers that left Venezuelan ports after recent enforcement actions. This marks one of the farthest-reaching interdictions from U.S. waters, underscoring the global scope of the sanctions campaign.
