French Navy Boards Russia-Linked Tanker in Indian Ocean
The French joint staff said naval inspectors boarded the vessel to verify its nationality after doubts arose over its claimed Benin registration. The operation took place around 450 nautical miles south of Réunion Island, an overseas territory of France.
Macron said the ship — the DF Peak — was suspected of sailing under a false flag and being involved in illicit fuel transportation. The vessel is under U.S., EU, U.K. and Ukrainian sanctions.
The tanker was being escorted to Réunion for further checks, said armed forces minister Catherine Vautrin.
The DF Peak is at least the sixth shadow-fleet tanker French authorities have detained over the past year, according to the exiled outlet The Insider.
Built in South Korea in 2006, DF Peak previously operated as the NS Captain and later as the Kaliningrad under Russia’s state shipping giant Sovcomflot.
Maritime database records cited by The Insider and Mediazona claim the DF Peak dropped its Russian flag in June 2025 to register under Benin and is currently registered to Hong Kong Ding Feng Shipping.
AFP contributed reporting.
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