France, Oct. 3 -- A tanker accused of being part of Russia's "shadow fleet" of sanction-busting ships resumed its voyage on Friday, six days after it was seized by the French navy off the coast of western France.

Maritime tracking websites Marine Traffic and Vesselfinder showed the Boracay, which claims to be flagged in Benin, heading towards the Suez Canal.

The vessel, also known as the Pushpa or the Kiwala, has been blacklisted by the European Union for being part of a fleet of ageing oil tankers used to bypass sanctions on Russia since its invasion of Ukraine three years ago.

It was boarded on Saturday by French authorities who detained the captain and first mate.

The skipper, who is due to appear in a French court in February over...