French naval forces intercepted and detained two crew members aboard the oil tanker Boracay—a vessel long suspected of being part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” and now under fresh scrutiny for possible links to the recent wave of mystery drone incursions into NATO airspace.
The arrests of the two crew members from the Boracay, a vessel long suspected of being part of Russia’s shadow fleet, represent a significant development. This is one of the strongest indications yet that Russia may be orchestrating the drone incursions recently reported in NATO airspace, underscoring the far-reaching logistical networks behind these aerial disruptions.
The arrests come on the heels of a sweeping wave of mystery drone incursions targeting sensitive sites across NATO countries over the past week. These incursions, which involve unidentified drones flying over military installations and critical infrastructure, have caused significant disruptions. Denmark has borne the brunt, with flights forcing the temporary closure of major hubs including Copenhagen, Oslo, Aalborg, and Billund airports. Since September 22, Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, France, and Germany have also reported drones operating near military installations and critical infrastructure.
Taken together, the incidents suggest a coordinated effort to probe Europe’s defenses, intensifying questions about who is directing the flights and how they are being launched.
According to reports, the French military first boarded the Boracay on September 27, ordering the tanker to anchor off Saint-Nazaire. French prosecutor Stéphane Kellenberger told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that two crew members—who identified themselves as the ship’s captain and first mate—were taken into custody for “failure to justify the nationality of the vessel” and “refusal to cooperate.”
Citing military and intelligence sources, several Danish media outlets reported that the French raid was ultimately prompted by suspicions that the Boracay had been used as a launch platform for the recent mystery drone incursions in NATO airspace.
Shipping records indicate that the Boracay departed from Primorsk, Russia, on September 20, officially bound for India. Its route took it through the North Sea and past Danish and German waters, as the mystery drone incursions were first being reported, from September 22 to 25.
During that same period, maritime trackers also logged two other Russian commercial vessels—the Oslo Carrier 3 and Astrol-1—alongside the Russian Ropucha-class landing ship Aleksandr Shabalin operating in waters off Denmark.
Hellbound and Down 