Escorted by Spanish frigates, the tanker with Russian oil did not reach Tangier

A sanctioned tanker with Russian oil or petroleum products lost control in the Atlantic Ocean near the Strait of Gibraltar and was carried to The Mediterranean Sea. The Spanish Navy undertook to escort the ship to Moroccan Tangier. However, the tanker regained control and independently headed for the Suez Canal.

The tanker Chariot Tide, which is under sanctions The EU and the UK have changed course and are now going in the opposite direction. According to AIS ships, the tanker is heading to Port Said is near the Suez Canal and plans to arrive there on February 7. The speed of the vessel is about five knots, and it has traveled 60 miles in the opposite direction overnight.

Chariot Tide's change of course came as a surprise. The vessel can carry up to 52 thousand tons of oil or petroleum products and left the Baltic Ust-Luga on December 22. On January 21, the ship lost control in the Atlantic Ocean off the Moroccan Tangier and began to drift eastward towards the Mediterranean Sea.

Within a week, the ship carried 160 miles through the Strait of Gibraltar and the tanker was already opposite the coast of Algeria in The Mediterranean Sea. Spain staged a rescue operation, undertaking to escort the ship back to Tangier.

As EADaily wrote, on January 28, the tanker was heading towards Morocco, accompanied by five frigates of the Spanish Navy and a rescue tug. It is not known what such an escort was connected with. On the morning of January 29, frigates of the Spanish Navy were opposite Morocco and headed for Spain. The day before, NATO announced the start of the Steadfast Dart 2026 exercises.