In Sweden, Russian shadow fleet tanker detained for oil spill
In Sweden, a 'shadow fleet' tanker of Russia named Flora 1 has been detained, suspected of an oil spill in the Baltic Sea near the island of Gotland. This is the first such case in the region where a vessel has been detained due to potential environmental damage, writes Deutsche Welle .
Tanker Flora 1. Photo: vesselfinder.com
An oil slick approximately 12 kilometers long was discovered on April 2. Following this, suspicions fell on this tanker, and authorities began an investigation. There are 24 crew members on board.
It is reported that before the incident, the vessel changed course towards territorial waters near Kaliningrad, and then returned to international waters. Its final destination is unknown, and its tracking system was turned off at some point.
Previously, this tanker had already been suspected of violations: it could disable identification systems and transfer oil at sea to bypass sanctions. The vessel is linked to companies involved in transporting Russian oil in circumvention of restrictions.
Sanctions have already been imposed against Flora 1 by several countries, including European states and other partners. Now, Swedish authorities are investigating whether the tanker is indeed involved in the oil spill and the violation of environmental norms.