Explosions Rock Sanctioned Oil Tankers in the Black Sea: Crew Rescued Amid Fire Threat

Turkish officials announced on Friday that crews had been removed from two oil tankers in the Black Sea following explosions and fires, indicating they might have been struck by ordnance.

The Directorate General of Maritime Affairs reported on X that the Kairos, an empty tanker heading toward the Russian port of Novorossiysk, ignited approximately 28 nautical miles (52 kilometers) off the Turkish coast «due to external factors.»

«They confirmed that all 25 crew members are unharmed,» they stated.

Smoke and flames were seen emanating from the front of the ship. There were no immediate reports of environmental contamination.

The fire on the Gambian-registered Kairos erupted around 6:00 p.m. near Kefken, in the northern Kocaeli province, as detailed by Governor Ilhami Aktas on the private NTV network.

A second oil tanker, the Virat, «reported being struck roughly 35 nautical miles away,» the directorate mentioned, without clarifying the specifics of the incident.

«Rescue teams and a cargo ship have been dispatched to the location. The 20 crew members onboard are safe, though significant smoke was detected in the engine room,» they added.

The Virat is also registered under the Gambian flag, according to the Vesselfinder website.

Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu explained on NTV that «an external cause implies that the vessel was impacted by a mine, rocket, or similar projectile, or possibly by a drone or an unmanned underwater vehicle.»

Both tankers are subject to Western sanctions for transporting oil from Russian ports despite the embargo that came into effect following Moscow’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

The minister reiterated that the 25 crew members aboard the Kairos had been evacuated safely, and that rescuers had also reached the Virat.

«Their health and safety are not in jeopardy,» he asserted.

«Thus far, no pollution has been detected, but we are closely monitoring the situation regarding the fire.»

Since the onset of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, numerous naval mines have been identified and neutralized in the Black Sea.

These mines, deployed by both sides to safeguard their coasts, have been known to drift, particularly during storms.

In response to this threat, NATO member countries Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania, which all border the Black Sea, formed a naval Mine Countermeasures Group in 2024.