Data Analysis: Russian Shadow Fleet Tanker During Drone Flights Off Danish Coast - Mystery Russian Tanker Disrupts Danish Air Traffic, EU Investigates
On the night of September 22, a mysterious tanker, part of the Russian 'ghost fleet', anchored in Danish territorial waters, leading to a series of events that disrupted Danish air traffic and prompted investigations from European governments and the EU Commission.
The tanker, sailing under the flag of Benin, had traveled from Russia, along the coasts of Poland and Sweden, before reaching Danish waters. It was previously known as 'Pushpa' or 'Boracay'.
The incident occurred as the tanker was off the Danish island of Lolland before proceeding to the Great Belt. The same night, the airport of Copenhagen was closed for several hours due to mysterious drone flights off the coast of Denmark. Several European governments and the EU Commission suspect Russia to be behind these drone incidents.
The tanker is considered part of the Russian 'ghost fleet' by the European Union and has been on the EU sanctions list since February. It was crewed by Russians and under sanctions for transporting Russian oil. French justice has opened an investigation into the tanker for 'lack of proof of nationality' and 'refusal to comply with an instruction'. The maritime magazine 'The Maritime Executive' suspects the tanker could have served as a 'launch platform' for the drones that disrupted Danish air traffic.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated the crew of the ship had made 'serious mistakes'. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that a pattern of airspace violations can be seen, with the pattern originating from Russia.
The tanker, after its involvement in the incident, has been anchored off the coast of France for several days. The incident is suspected to involve Russia-linked ships as part of a broader hybrid attack. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of the incident and its implications.
