The US Coast Guard stepped up enforcement efforts on Saturday and attempted to intercept a vessel linked to Venezuela, Bella 1.
The ship was sailing toward Venezuela to load crude oil, but was empty at the time, according to officials. It was under US sanctions since last year for transporting Iranian oil, which Washington says helps finance terrorism.
When US forces approached, the tanker turned away from the Caribbean and fled northeast into the Atlantic Ocean. Officials said Bella 1 was not flying a valid national flag, making it a stateless vessel that can be boarded under international law.
The crew refused to stop, turning the encounter into what officials described as an active pursuit.
By Sunday, the tanker had sent more than 75 distress signals while sailing over 300 miles from Antigua and Barbuda.
The Coast Guard also boarded another tanker, Centuries, carrying up to two million barrels of Venezuelan oil.
These actions signal an escalation in President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign to curb Venezuela’s oil exports to pressure President Nicolás Maduro, whom his administration seeks to remove from office. Oil is a critical source of revenue for the country’s struggling economy.