France releases tanker detained en route from Russia

French authorities have lifted the arrest order on the tanker Deyna, which had been detained on March 20 in the western Mediterranean, according to TASS, citing the French Maritime Prefecture for the Mediterranean.

The vessel has since left French territorial waters. The tanker, sailing under the flag of Mozambique, was detained by the French Navy with support from the United Kingdom on suspicion of operating under a falsified flag.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that the vessel was linked to Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet.”

French authorities said the tanker had departed from Murmansk. After its detention, it was escorted to the port of Marseille.

By Jeyhun Aghazada