Captain Avtandil Kalandadze faces federal charges for using a false flag and disobeying US Coast Guard commands during a Caribbean interception.
The captain of the tanker Marinera, also known as Bella 1, has been indicted in the United States, reported the New York Times.
Georgian citizen Avtandil Kalandadze faces two federal charges, including the use of a false flag and disobeying US Coast Guard commands during the interception of the vessel in the Caribbean on December 20. The tanker was operating under Guyana's flag at the time.
Russian outlet Verstka reported that the crew ignored repeated Coast Guard radio hails and were instructed by the ship's manager to head into the Atlantic. The vessel had been sanctioned in June 2024 for its involvement in the Iranian oil trade and had shifted flags between Panama, Guyana, and Russia without completing registry changes.
The US seized the tanker and took it to Scotland. The crew was removed, and the captain's wife attempted to block his removal in court. He was later taken aboard the US Coast Guard cutter Munro.
The US is also expected to indict the chief mate, who remains detained. Most of the Ukrainian crew avoided returning home, fearing repercussions, while five agreed to travel to the United States to provide evidence in the case.
