The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea regulates this issue in detail, noted Konstantin Putrya, a senior lecturer at the Law Faculty of the Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg. It is only possible to detain a foreign vessel on the high seas if it has no nationality, the lawyer explained.
On 27 September, French military authorities halted the Boracay off Saint-Nazaire, detaining both the master and chief officer. Known variously as Kiwala, Pushpa and Boracay, the tanker has changed names multiple times. It now operates under the Beninese flag and is listed under Western sanctions.
