UK Prosecutes Indian Captain for Sanctions Breach in International Waters
Ajay Pant faces ten years in prison after British forces seized his oil tanker in the English Channel, a move legal experts say sets a new precedent for maritime law.
By Martin Reynolds ·
An Indian merchant navy officer now faces up to 10 years in prison after British forces seized his crude oil tanker in international waters. Ajay Pant, the captain of the MT Smyrtos, was arrested in June after Royal Marines intercepted the vessel in the English Channel. The incident marks the first known instance of a European nation holding a ship captain in custody for allegedly violating domestic sanctions against Russia. The case has drawn criticism from maritime unions and legal advocates who warn it could criminalize routine seafaring work.
The seizure occurred on June 14 while the ship was en route to India via the Suez Canal. British authorities classified the vessel as part of Russia’s shadow fleet, a network used to bypass economic restrictions. The operation involved helicopters, a frigate, and a mine countermeasures ship. Then-Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the action as a blow to Russia. However, the ship was outside UK territorial waters at the time, a detail that complicates the legal basis for the arrest. Pant has been denied bail and remains detained in the UK.
Legal experts note that while other European countries have seized sanctioned vessels, they have typically released the crews or prosecuted them in absentia. In March, a French court prosecuted a shadow fleet captain without the defendant present. A Finnish court dismissed charges against a tanker captain citing lack of jurisdiction. David Hammond, founder of Human Rights At Sea, stated that the Smyrtos case is unique because it involves the direct detention of a crew member for transiting an international corridor. He argued that Pant is being punished for performing his duties. The outcome will determine how coastal states enforce non-UN sanctions on foreign-flagged vessels.
The case unfolds against a backdrop of rising maritime violence. The International Maritime Organization reported at least 66 sailors were killed in various conflicts this year. In the Strait of Hormuz, 24 seafarers have died since February, while 40 have been killed in the Black Sea. Tony Patten, the UK representative for the International Transport Workers’ Federation, called it a horrible year for people at sea. He emphasized that seafarers are often treated as disposable assets in global trade. The Smyrtos, owned by a Chinese company, had recently changed its flag from The Gambia to Cameroon in December 2025. British officials stated that Russia sells 75 percent of its oil through such tankers.
Pant’s family, based in Uttarakhand, learned of the capture through social media in mid-June. His wife, Ritu Pant, a former school principal, has since taken on the role of advocate for seafarer rights. She noted that the case raises fundamental questions about the authority and liability of ship masters. The British Defense Ministry cited the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to justify the visit, claiming the ship was stateless due to frequent flag changes. Whether militaries can enforce domestic sanctions in international waters remains a contested issue in international law. Pant’s trial will test the limits of that enforcement.
