Indian captain charged over shadow fleet seizure

On June 14, British commandos intercepted the sanctioned oil tanker Seizure of the Smyrtos in the English Channel, an operation hailed by then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer as a 'blow to Russia'. The vessel, allegedly part of Russia's shadow fleet used to evade oil sanctions imposed after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, was carrying about 98,000 tonnes of oil. The captain, Ajay Pant, an Indian national, was arrested and charged with sanctions offences carrying a maximum 10-year prison sentence. He has been denied bail and his trial is scheduled to begin on December 15. Pant's wife, Ritu Pant, has called him a 'scapegoat', and his lawyers argue he was 'simply following orders' as an employee of the vessel's owner. The case is believed to be the first in Europe where sanctions-violation charges have been brought against a ship's captain rather than only the vessel or its owners, raising concerns among seafarers about being caught in geopolitical disputes. India's Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian High Commission in London have provided consular support, and the vessel remains anchored off England's southern coast.