Avtandil Kalandadze, the former captain of the tanker Bella 1, has been sentenced to 10 months in prison in the United States for refusing orders from the U.S. Coast Guard and fleeing during a weeks-long pursuit across the Atlantic Ocean.
Kalandadze, 47, a Georgian national, pleaded guilty on June 12, 2026, to failing to stop for a Coast Guard cutter. He will be deported after serving his 10-month sentence, the U.S. Department of Justice said.
Kalandadze was the master of Bella 1 from September 2025 until late December 2025. During that period, the tanker carried about 1.8 million barrels of Iran-origin oil to Asia, according to his plea agreement.
The tanker was later renamed Marinera.
Tanker fled after Coast Guard interception
In December 2025, Bella 1 was heading to Venezuela when it was intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro.
The tanker did not follow orders to stop and
Content Original Link:
" target="_blank">
