PARIS (AP) — The captain of a tanker intercepted in the Mediterranean Sea by the French navy on suspicion of shipping oil in violation of sanctions against Russia was being held in custody on Sunday for questioning.
The ship’s Indian captain, 58, was handed to judicial authorities following the diversion of the oil tanker, Grinch, and its arrival at anchorage in the Gulf of Fos-sur-Mer, the Marseille prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
The investigation is being conducted by the Maritime Gendarmerie’s Investigation Unit in Toulon, jointly with the Marseille Ship Safety Centre, on charges of failure to fly a valid flag, according to the statement, which added that the crew, also of Indian nationality, was being kept on board.
"The purpose of the investigation is to verify the validity of the flag flown by the tanker and the documents required for its navigation,” the statement said.
The Grinch came from Murmansk in northwestern Russia and is suspected of being part of the sanctioned Russian “shadow fleet." A video provided by the French military showed members of the navy boarding the ship from a helicopter earlier this week.
Russia is believed to be using a fleet of over 400 ships to evade sanctions over its war on Ukraine. France and other countries have vowed to crack down.
The fleet comprises aging vessels and tankers owned by nontransparent entities with addresses in non-sanctioning countries, and sailing under flags from such countries.
Last September, French naval forces boarded another oil tanker off the French Atlantic coast that President Emmanuel Macron also linked to the shadow fleet. Putin denounced that interception as an act of piracy.
That tanker’s captain will go on trial in February over the crew’s alleged refusal to cooperate, according to French judicial authorities.
In this photo, provided by the French Army on Thursday, Jan 22, 2026, France's Navy, working with intelligence provided by the United Kingdom, on Thursday intercepted an oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea that traveled from Russia, in a mission targeting the sanctioned Russian shadow fleet, officials said. (Etat-Major des Armees via AP)
In this photo, provided by the French Army on Thursday, Jan 22, 2026, an oil tanker in the Mediterranean Sea that traveled from Russia, is pictured after being intercepted by France's Navy. (Etat-Major des Armees via AP)
CHICAGO (AP) — In just over a period of hockey, Florida defenseman Tobias Bjornfot scored twice, tripling his career goal output.
It helped the Panthers rally late for a 5-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday night and cruise to their third straight win.
The 24-year-old Swedish defenseman entered the game with just one goal in 138 career NHL games over seven seasons. The journeyman added two more against Chicago to help Florida win for the sixth time in eight games and keep rolling following a 4-3 overtime win in Minnesota on Saturday.
Bjornfot wrapped in a fluke goal with 4:27 left in the second period against the Blackhawks to open the scoring. He capped Florida's four-goal third period, cruising into the slot and firing in Carter Verhaeghe’s feed with 22 seconds left.
Bjornfot skated in just his fifth NHL game this season after playing 22 with Charlotte of the AHL. His previous NHL score came in May 1, 2021, with Los Angeles at Anaheim during the COVID-19 altered season.
Bjornfot, the Kings first-round draft pick in 2019 (22nd overall) was just 20 years old when he netted that one.
“It felt good,” Bjornfot said Sunday. “It's been awhile since my first one.”
Bjornfot got career goal No. 2 following a faceoff in the Chicago zone. He circled the net and jammed in the puck through Spencer Knight’s pads from the right side. He flashed a big grin during an understated celebration as he returned to the bench.
“They were just happy for me,” Bjornfot said of his teammates. “They thought it was my first goal, maybe, but it's nice to get one."
“I didn't know who was in the slot," Bjornfot added. "I was thinking maybe to pass it to him and I saw he wasn't open and I thought ‘just take it to the net’ and it went well.
"I'm not really a goal scorer, but it helps.”
After Florida took a 3-1 lead early in the third on goals by Mackie Samoskevich and Verhaeghe just over two minutes apart. Sam Reinhart added an empty-netter with 1:49 left. With Knight back in goal, Bjornfot connected again.
The two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers have relied on depth to stay in the thick of the playoff hunt this season after being hit by injuries to key players. Forward Matthew Tkachuk played just his fourth game on Sunday after missing the first 47 following surgery last summer to repair sports hernia and torn adductor muscle.
Aleksander Barkov and Tomas Nosek have yet to play this season. Standout defenseman Seth Jones, removed from the U.S. Olympic roster last week, missed his 11th game on Sunday with a collarbone injury.
“Toby's been unbelievable for us since he came in,” said fellow defenseman Gustav Forsling, an anchor on Florida's blueline. “He really helps us and to get two goals today, I'm very happy for him.”
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FILE - Florida Panthers' Tobias Bjornfot plays during an NHL hockey game, Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum,File)
