black Sea Tankers Carrying Russian Oil Damaged in Explosions, Turkey Reports
ISTANBUL – Two oil tankers sustained damage from explosions and fires in the Black Sea on Friday, Turkish authorities reported, raising concerns about maritime safety and the ongoing risks posed by naval mines. Both vessels were reportedly en route to Russian ports and are subject to Western sanctions for transporting Russian oil despite a February 2022 embargo following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The first incident involved the Kairos, a Gambian-flagged tanker traveling to Novorossiysk, which caught fire approximately 28 nautical miles (52 kilometers) off the Turkish coast. All 25 crew members were safely evacuated,according to the Directorate General of Maritime affairs. Flames and thick black smoke were visible at the vessel’s bow.
A second Gambian-flagged tanker, the Virat, reported being hit roughly 35 nautical miles from the Kairos. Twenty crew members were confirmed safe, with smoke detected in the engine room. Rescue teams and a cargo vessel were dispatched to the scene.
Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir uraloglu stated, “An external cause means the vessel was hit by a mine, a rocket or a similar projectile, or by a drone, or by an unmanned underwater vehicle.” He confirmed that the health and safety of all crew members were not at risk and that no pollution had been detected as of Friday evening. Authorities are monitoring the fire’s progress.
The incidents occur against a backdrop of heightened danger in the Black sea due to drifting naval mines laid by both Ukraine and Russia to protect their coastlines.Storms have caused the mines to break free and drift, prompting Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania – all Black Sea NATO members – to establish a naval Mine Countermeasures Group in 2024. several mines have been located and destroyed since the start of the conflict.
