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Venezuela to charge captain of US-chartered ship as crew remains in custody

Associated Press
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In this photo provided by the Diario El Sol de Margarita, a ship carrying five American oil workers, left, arrives to the shore in Margarita Island, Venezuela, Sunday Oct. 13, 2013. The 285-foot survey research vessel, sailing under a Panamanian flag, was conducting a seismic study under contract for Anadarko Petroleum Corp. on Thursday when it was detained by an armed Venezuelan navy vessel and ordered to sail under escort to Margarita Island, which is part of Venezuela. The U.S. chartered vessel was intercepted in disputed waters off the coast of Guyana, a move that threatens to revive a decades-old territorial dispute between South America's biggest oil producer and one of the region's poorest nations(.AP Photo/Cristian Zerpa, Diario El Sol de Margarita) (The Associated Press)

A Venezuelan Coast Guard boat sits next to the 285-foot survey ship Teknik Perdana docked near the shore in Margarita Island, Venezuela, Sunday Oct. 13, 2013. The U.S.-chartered oil exploration ship seized by the Venezuelan navy in Caribbean waters disputed with neighboring Guyana arrived at Venezuela's Margarita Island on Sunday. Venezuelan authorities said the ship's 36 crew members, including five U.S. citizens and two Brazilians, would be held on board while an investigation continued. (AP Photo/Gustavo Granado) (The Associated Press)

A Venezuelan Coast Guard boat sits next to the 285-foot survey ship Teknik Perdana docked near the shore in Margarita Island, Venezuela, Sunday Oct. 13, 2013. The U.S.-chartered oil exploration ship seized by the Venezuelan navy in Caribbean waters disputed with neighboring Guyana arrived at Venezuela's Margarita Island on Sunday. Venezuelan authorities said the ship's 36 crew members, including five U.S. citizens and two Brazilians, would be held on board while an investigation continued. (AP Photo/Gustavo Granado) (The Associated Press)

The Ukrainian captain of an oil research ship detained by the Venezuelan navy is being charged with illegally sailing in Venezuela's maritime economic zone — waters that are disputed with neighboring Guyana.

The federal prosecutor's office said Igor Bekirov would appear in a court Monday evening.

The other 35 crew members, including five U.S. citizens, remain in custody. The ship arrived under navy escort Sunday at Margarita Island off Venezuela's Caribbean coast.

The vessel was conducting a seismic study for Texas-based Anadarko Petroleum Corp. under a concession from Guyana. Guyana's government says the ship was well within its territorial waters.

The vessel's seizure threatens to revive a decades-old territorial dispute between Venezuela, South America's biggest oil producer, and Guyana, one of the region's poorest countries.