Russian tanker barred from sailing off Evia

A Russian oil tanker was blocked from sailing to its destination by the Hellenic Coast Guard after being intercepted off the coast of the island of Evia on Tuesday.

Coast guard officials speaking to Kathimerini said the order to seize the ship was issued by the country’s anti-money laundering authority, according to the guidelines for sanctions imposed on Russia by the European Union and NATO over its invasion of Ukraine.

According to sources Russian-flagged Pegas was en route to the Peloponnese to transfer its cargo of oil onto another ship when it ran into adverse weather and sailed to safety in a sheltered bay off the seaside town of Karystos in southern Evia, where it was intercepted.

Reuters reported that the ship has 19 crew members on board, while also citing a coast guard official as saying that the vessel had been seized, but not its oil cargo.