The Indian captain of an oil tanker seized by British commandos in the English Channel has been made a scapegoat, his wife told AFP, as he awaits trial in Britain on sanctions-related charges.
Ajay Pant, 38, has been charged with sanctions offences carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. His trial is scheduled to begin on December 15.
“My husband just became the scapegoat,” Ritu Pant, 36, told AFP in her first interview since his arrest in June. “He was at the wrong place at the wrong time.”
British commandos fast-roped from a helicopter on June 14 to intercept the sanctioned oil tanker Smyrtos, which was captained by Pant.
The vessel is allegedly part of Russia’s shadow fleet, a network of ships with opaque ownership and insurance arrangements that Moscow is accused of using to evade oil sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine.
According to MarineTraffic, the Smyrtos sailed from Russia’s Ust-Luga port on June 5 and passed through the Baltic Sea, with Egypt’s Port Said listed as its destination. As it crossed the English Channel, British commandos intercepted the vessel. Then-prime minister Keir Starmer described the operation as “a blow to Russia”.
Pant’s wife said her husband was a victim of the circumstances and was struggling in custody after being denied bail.
“He was broken and he was just crying,” she told AFP, recalling their first phone call after his arrest. “He didn’t know what had happened to him… He just said, ‘I am in jail, please take me out’.”
‘SIMPLY FOLLOWING ORDERS’
Prosecutors allege Pant was the “master of the ship” and knew about its cargo, which consisted of around 98,000 tonnes of oil. Pant’s lawyer told a court that the captain was “simply following orders” as an employee of the vessel’s owner. His wife has also maintained that his responsibility was to safely transport the cargo to its destination.
The case raises complex legal questions and could become an important test as European countries intensify action against Russia’s shadow fleet.
It is believed to be the first case in Europe in which sanctions-violation charges have been brought against a ship’s captain rather than only the vessel or its owners.
INDIA MONITORS CASE
India’s Foreign Ministry has said its consular officials visited Pant to enquire about his wellbeing. Pant is the only sailor from the vessel to have been charged. Most of the other 24 crew members have since been repatriated.
The Smyrtos remains anchored off England’s southern coast.
The case has also raised concerns among seafarers about being caught between geopolitical powers, according to Steve Yandell, coordinator of the seafarers’ section of the International Transport Workers’ Federation.
India, with more than 320,000 seafarers, is a major contributor to the global merchant shipping workforce.
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Published By:
Nitish Singh
Published On:
Aug 22, 2026 03:38 IST
