Ros Atkins on… the oil tanker being pursued by the US

The BBC’s Analysis Editor Ros Atkins looks at what we know about the "active pursuit" of an oil tanker by the US Coast Guard off the coast of Venezuela.

Watch LiveBritish Broadcasting CorporationHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationWatch DocumentariesTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureWatch DocumentariesFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsWatch DocumentariesArts in MotionTravelWatch DocumentariesDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthWatch DocumentariesNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcast CategoriesRadioAudio FAQsVideoWatch DocumentariesBBC MaestroLiveLive NewsLive SportDocumentariesHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveDocumentariesWeatherNewslettersWatch LiveRos Atkins on… the oil tanker being pursued by the USBBC Verify has been investigating the US Coast Guard's "active pursuit" of a ship - believed to be the Bella 1 - in international waters off the coast of Venezuela. The oil tanker issued distress signals while moving northeast from the Caribbean into the Atlantic.

US authorities have already seized two oil tankers this month - one of them on Saturday.

The Trump administration has been increasingly focused on Venezuela in recent months, accusing it of “stealing” oil and using oil revenues to fund criminal activity. Venezuela rejects the accusations, calling the US tanker seizures illegal acts of “international piracy”.

The BBC’s Analysis Editor Ros Atkins has more.

Produced by Katerina Karelli and Tom Joyner. Verification by Joshua Cheetham. Graphics by Mesut Ersoz.