Maritime Law

French forces boarded the tanker DF Peak in the Indian Ocean on October 12, 2026, more than 450 nautical miles south of Réunion Island. President Emmanuel Macron announced the operation. Authorities suspect the vessel was flying a false flag and illegally transporting fuel. French army spokesperson Colonel Xavier Rival said, "We had doubts regarding the flag under which this vessel was sailing, so we carried out an inspection." Those doubts remain, and the public prosecutor has ordered the ship to Réunion Island for a detailed examination. The vessel is flagged from Benin and was previously named Kaliningrad. It was built in 2006 and originally belonged to Sovcomflot as the NS Captain, according to Maritime Executive. The U.S. sanctioned the tanker in February 2024, followed by the European Union, Switzerland, Canada, the U.K., and Ukraine. Its manager, Zheng Xin Marine, is based in Hong Kong and could not be reached for comment. Russia's embassy in France called the seizure "piracy" and a blatant violation of international law, and said France did not notify Moscow. The embassy is trying to determine whether any Russian citizens are among the crew.