A vessel linked to Iran intercepted at sea by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command [U.S. Indo-Pacific Command X Capture]

The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) announced on the 5th (local time) that it intercepted and conducted a board search of a stateless vessel linked to Iran, subject to sanctions, in the Indian Ocean.

INDOPACOM stated on X (formerly Twitter) that "Last night, U.S. forces intercepted and conducted a board search of the sanctioned stateless vessel 'MT DAVINA' in the Indian Ocean, within the INDOPACOM area of responsibility."

It added, "We will continue our global maritime interdiction to thwart illicit networks and interdict vessels providing material support to Iran, wherever they operate."

INDOPACOM emphasized, "International waterways cannot be used as a shield by sanctions evaders. The Department of Defense will continue to deny illicit actors and their vessels the freedom to operate in maritime domains."

According to Reuters, the vessel is an ultra-large crude carrier capable of transporting up to 2 million barrels of crude oil. It was designated for U.S. sanctions in October 2024 for alleged dealings in Iranian crude oil.

According to the vessel tracking service MarineTraffic, the ship was last sighted off the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Reuters reported.

Citing separate shipping data, the news agency also reported that the vessel's draft indicated it was nearly full of crude oil.