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A Tanker Carrying $100 Million of Disputed Oil Was Traveling Off the Texas Coast — and It Just Mysteriously Disappeared From Radar
Image source: U.S. Coast Guard via Reuters

A Tanker Carrying $100 Million of Disputed Oil Was Traveling Off the Texas Coast — and It Just Mysteriously Disappeared From Radar

An oil tanker traveling off the Texas coast with $100 million of disputed Kurdish oil has gone missing.

According to Reuters, the vessel completely disappeared from satellite tracking Thursday, showing no position on the AIS tracking system used by the U.S. Coat Guard.

Image source: U.S. Coast Guard via Reuters Image source: U.S. Coast Guard via Reuters

A spokesperson for the Coast Guard was not immediately available for comment to TheBlaze, but an official told Reuters that it’s possible the ship turned off its locating device, had some of its antennas removed from service, or sailed beyond a point that can be monitored with antennas that track transponders.

The tanker was reportedly carrying approximately one million barrels of crude oil and was 95 percent full when it fell off radar.

Image source: U.S. Coast Guard via Reuters Image source: U.S. Coast Guard via Reuters

According to Reuters, Baghdad has maintained that they have the exclusive right to export the oil. A lawsuit is currently pending in a U.S. court to block the Kurdistan Regional Government from making deliveries.

On Monday, the court rejected an order to seize the cargo because it was hovering near the coast, Reuters reported.

This is not the first time that a vessel carrying disputed oil has gone missing from radar. A few days ago, another ship carrying Kurdish oil disappeared and then reappeared empty days later near Israel.

Follow Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) on Twitter

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