Russian embassy looking into reports on oil tanker's detention in Greece

MOSCOW. April 19 (Interfax) - The Russian embassy in Athens is in touch with Greek authorities in light of reports on the detention of a Russian oil tanker in Greek territorial waters, the embassy said.

"The embassy is verifying reports in Greek media outlets on the detention of the Pegas oil tanker with 19 sailors on board near Euboea Island. We remain in touch with Greek authorities on the matter," the embassy said in a statement on Tuesday.

Greek media reported earlier on Tuesday that the country's Coast Guard detained the Russian oil tanker Pegas near Euboea Island in compliance with the European Union's sanctions on Russia.

The Kathimerini publication reported citing its own sources that the Pegas, operating under the Russian flag, was on its way toward the Peloponnese to reload its oil shipment onto another vessel. Owing to poor weather, the tanker entered the harbor of the town of Karystos in the southern part of Euboea Island, where it was detained.

The Maritime Bulletin web portal said that another Russian oil tanker, the VF Tanker 2, was also detained in line with the EU sanctions near Euboea Island. Maritime Bulletin said the VF Tanker 2 left the Piraeus port on April 17 and was on its way to Port Kavkaz in Russia's Krasnodar territory but ended up in the Karystos harbor for unclear reasons.