French authorities have detained the captain and first officer of the Boracay, an oil tanker linked to Russia. The French Navy confiscated the Boracay while the ship was under investigation at the port of Saint-Nazaire. This happens in the context of several unexplained drone incursions as well as the ship being taken to Saint-Nazaire for investigations.
Recent incidents involving drones that disrupted air traffic raise concerns about foreign surveillance
Boracay was located about 50 nautical miles south of Copenhagen when drone sightings during a 22 September period caused Copenhagen airport to close. Just two days later, the western flank of Denmark was visited by the Boracay as drones were reported flying near Esbjerg and the surrounding airports.
French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu commended the promptness of the arrest as he thanked the French naval commandos who, in the course of a weekend, boarded a shadow fleet tanker and contributed to the arrest of two crew members. The individuals in custody have claimed to be the ship’s captain and first officer.
The arrests were made at the instruction of the Brest prosecutor, who stated that the two were to be held for not providing proof of the ship’s nationality and for failing to comply with sea orders.
The Boracay is part of a fleet of vessels believed to be used by Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
These ships are believed to be smuggling oil and other illegal goods and are operating with no registration or under a “flag of convenience”. French President Emmanuel Macron estimated the shadow fleet operating for Russia to be between 600 and 1,000. Macron described the shadow fleet as “a critical component of Moscow’s business model” and requested further investigations.
The ‘Boracay’ is a vessel of interest to French authorities in the light of suspected military drone incursions. Although French and Danish officials have not confirmed a direct link, speculation is rife due to the proximity and timing of the ship. The Kremlin denied knowledge of the ship ‘Boracay’ but defended its military for responding to what it described as “provocative actions” taken by foreign nations.
This situation highlights Europe’s concern regarding hybrid wars and the use of drones to surveil and disrupt activities. Over the last few months, NATO claimed to have detected an “increased Russian activity” and heightened surveillance of undersea cables and other Baltic sea critical infrastructure. NATO also initiated defensive Baltic sea operations under the title “Baltic Sentry” to protect communications and energy networks from potential Russian sabotage.
Just days before the drone incidents, on September 20th, the Boracay left the Russian port of Primorsk. With Boracay also receiving sanctions from the UK and the EU, the ship’s legal position is even more precarious, and questions must be raised regarding the ship’s operational intent.
The rise in maritime confrontations involving Russian-linked ships
Ukrainian forces have also been using sea drones to attack Russian ships in the Black Sea. These confrontations point to a multi-dimensional aspect of modern warfare, with tactics such as cyber warfare, economic sabotage, and under-the-table military action.
Currently, while the investigations are still not completed, EU leaders are trying to be proactive by calling for “shadow fleet” action.
Macron emphasized the importance of determining the facts surrounding the incident in Denmark. This suggests that the Boracay investigative inquiry may include an aspect of regional security and international maritime law.
As of now, Boracay, along with its crew, remains under French supervision. Although Boracay is not confirmed to be directly responsible for the recent violation of French borders by drone flights, its ongoing operations in high-risk waters and tethering to drone activities of Russian nationals facing sanctions have attracted the attention of French and European defense and intelligence authorities.