Heather Mongilio

Sagitta is owned by Sunne Co. Limited, a Hong Kong-based company sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury for its operations with Russia. The sanction lists Sagitta as sailing under the Panamanian flag.

The tanker, which previously sailed under the name Angelica Schulte, is also sanctioned by the United Kingdom.

Sagitta is the seventh tanker seized by the U.S. as part of the quarantine on tankers traveling to and from Venezuela.

It is not clear what service members were involved in the seizure, although past seizures involved a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment unit. SOUTHCOM tagged the Navy and the Marine Corps in the post on X.

“The apprehension of another tanker operating in defiance of President [Donald] Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean demonstrates our resolve to ensure that the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully. As the joint force operates in the Western Hemisphere, we reaffirm that the security of the American people is paramount, demonstrating our commitment to safety and stability,” reads the SOUTHCOM post.

The seizure comes five days after the U.S. seized MT Veronica.