Italian Navy boards Russian tanker in Mediterranean

The Italian Navy, as part of the European Union's Operation IRINI, boarded a Russian tanker named Toa Payoh in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea. The operation, which took place west of the Italian island of Pantelleria, aimed to verify the vessel's nationality and flag registration as it traveled from Benin to Istanbul. The tanker is identified as belonging to Russia's 'shadow fleet,' a group of vessels used to circumvent international sanctions, particularly on oil exports.

According to the Italian Ministry of Defence, the ship's captain initially did not cooperate, leading to a team of Italian military personnel boarding the vessel from the warship Thaon di Revel. The inspection, supported by a Greek vessel and a Polish maritime patrol aircraft, lasted approximately two hours and concluded safely. Italian authorities are currently reviewing the documentation obtained during the boarding.

Operation IRINI, launched in 2020 to enforce a U.N. arms embargo on Libya, has been broadened to include verification boardings of vessels suspected of sailing under false flags. The EU has sanctioned numerous vessels believed to be part of Russia's 'shadow fleet' since the invasion of Ukraine.