[ TERMINAL ACCESS: GLOBAL FEED ]

The Government of Vanuatu announced today that its forces fired warning shots at a small, unregistered vessel within its territorial waters. The vessel reportedly attempted to enter a maritime zone designated as a "non-nuclear and environmental protection sea," championed by the South American Union. According to the Vanuatu Coast Guard, warning shots were employed to compel the vessel to stop after it failed to respond to initial approach warnings. No crew members were reported injured, and no significant damage to the vessel has been reported. Authorities are currently investigating the seized vessel, considering the possibility of its affiliation with French survey operations. This incident follows last year's seizure by the Solomon Islands Defense Force of an unregistered survey vessel, also believed to be French-affiliated, near former French Polynesia, indicating continued tension between France and regional forces led by the South American Union (SAU) in the Pacific.