Two oil tankers hit by explosions and fires in the Black Sea off Turkish coast
Two oil tankers caught fire off Türkiye's Black Sea coast, with crews safely evacuated and authorities investigating possible external causes including mines or projectiles, amid heightened regional maritime tensions.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Turkish authorities announced Friday that they had evacuated the crews of two oil tankers in the Black Sea after explosions and fires broke out on board, prompting a major maritime emergency response. No casualties were reported.
The Turkish General Directorate of Maritime Affairs said on its website that a fire erupted aboard the oil tanker Kairos, located 28 nautical miles (52 km) off the Turkish coast, as it was sailing without cargo toward Russia’s Novorossiysk port.
The directorate noted that the incident resulted from “external factors,” confirming that all 25 crew members were safely evacuated. Flames were seen rising from the vessel’s forward section.
The Governor of Kocaeli province, Ilhami Aktaş, told NTV that the tanker—flying the Gambian flag—caught fire at 6 p.m. local time (15:00 GMT) off the province’s northern coast.
The Maritime Affairs Directorate later reported that a second oil tanker, named Firat, also flying the Gambian flag, was involved in another incident roughly 35 nautical miles offshore, though the nature of the incident was not specified.
“Rescue teams and a cargo vessel were dispatched to the scene,” the directorate said. “The 20-member crew is safe, though thick smoke was observed inside the engine room.”
Turkish Minister of Transport Abdulkadir Uraloğlu told NTV that an “external cause” could indicate that the tanker was struck by a mine, missile, similar projectile, drone, or unmanned watercraft.
Both tankers are subject to Western sanctions for transporting Russian oil in violation of international restrictions.
The minister confirmed that the Kairos crew had been evacuated and that emergency teams had reached the Firat.
“The crew members are in no danger,” he added. “No pollution has been detected so far, but we are monitoring the fire closely.”
Since the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, numerous drifting sea mines have been detected and neutralized across the Black Sea. Many of these mines—laid by both sides to secure their coastlines—became dislodged during storms.
In 2024, Türkiye, Bulgaria, and Romania—all NATO members and Black Sea littoral states—established a joint task group dedicated to mine countermeasures to mitigate growing maritime risks in the region.
As emergency teams continue to secure both tankers and monitor the situation, Turkish authorities are investigating the cause of the explosions amid heightened maritime tensions in the Black Sea. No environmental impact has been reported so far, and both crews remain safe.
