Video: US Seizes Fifth Venezuelan-Linked Oil Tanker In The Caribbean Sea
The United States has seized another oil tanker linked to Venezuela, bringing the total number of vessels captured in recent weeks to five.
US officials said the tanker, Olina, was intercepted in the Caribbean Sea during a pre-dawn operation carried out by US Marines and sailors.
The operation was led by Joint Task Force Southern Spear, with personnel deploying from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.
According to US Southern Command, the vessel was seized without incident after it departed Venezuelan waters while attempting to evade US forces.
Authorities said the seizure is part of an effort to remove what they describe as a “dark” or “shadow” fleet of tankers from service. This fleet is believed to include more than 1,000 vessels used to transport sanctioned and illicit oil with limited oversight.
The Olina has been placed on multiple international sanctions lists. The vessel was sanctioned by the US in January last year when it was operating under the name Minerva M.
At the time, US authorities accused it of helping move Russian oil to foreign markets, which Washington said was linked to financing Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Maritime risk management firm Vanguard Tech said the tanker had been under pursuit for an extended period and was suspected of attempting to break through the US naval blockade in the Caribbean.
The company reported that the vessel’s AIS tracking system had been inactive for 52 days, with its last known signal recorded northeast of Curaçao, within Venezuela’s exclusive economic zone.
Public shipping databases, including Equasis, showed that the Olina was falsely flying the flag of Timor-Leste at the time of the seizure. Data from the International Maritime Organization also pointed to registration irregularities.
Maritime experts noted that international maritime law allows authorities to board vessels that are stateless or falsely flagged.
US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the tanker was suspected of being part of a so-called “ghost fleet” transporting embargoed oil.
She also shared video footage that appeared to show US troops boarding a vessel from a helicopter, describing the operation as safe and effective.
Once again, our joint interagency forces sent a clear message this morning: “there is no safe haven for criminals.”
In a pre-dawn action, Marines and Sailors from Joint Task Force Southern Spear, in support of the Department of Homeland Security, launched from the USS Gerald R.… pic.twitter.com/StHo4ufcdx
— U.S. Southern Command (@Southcom) January 9, 2026
Industry sources said the Olina had left Venezuela late last week fully loaded with oil as part of a flotilla of tankers.
The departure took place shortly after an early-morning US operation on January 3, which sources said resulted in the seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The tanker was said to be returning fully loaded towards Venezuela following the US blockade of Venezuelan oil exports.
Earlier this week, the US seized two other tankers linked to Venezuelan oil shipments in consecutive operations in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean.
One of those vessels, the Russian-flagged Marinera, was intercepted with logistical support from the UK Royal Navy, which provided assistance by air and sea.
US officials alleged that the Marinera had been falsely flying the flag of Guyana last month, which meant it was considered stateless under international law.
The vessel was described as part of a shadow fleet transporting oil for Venezuela, Russia and Iran in violation of US sanctions.
The second tanker seized earlier this week, the M/T Sophia, was accused by US authorities of carrying out illicit activities. The Sophia was also reported to have been part of the same flotilla that departed Venezuela earlier this month.
Industry sources said three other tankers from that flotilla, Skylyn, Min Hang and Merope, all fully loaded with oil, returned to Venezuelan waters on Thursday.
A further seven fully loaded tankers were expected to return on Friday and Saturday. According to the sources, all of the oil carried by these 10 vessels is owned by Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA.
It is not yet clear whether the US will take action against the remaining tankers sailing back towards Venezuelan waters. However, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said earlier this week that the US blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan oil remains in effect worldwide.
US President Donald Trump has said Venezuela would hand over up to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, with an estimated value of $2.8bn.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio later said the oil would be sold at market rates and that the US would control how the proceeds are distributed in a way intended to benefit the Venezuelan people.
Meanwhile, US diplomats visited Caracas on Friday to assess the possibility of reopening the US embassy in Venezuela.
References: BBC, Reuters
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