/Reuters Agency
Explosions shook two tankers from Russia’s “shadow fleet” in the Black Sea, near the Bosphorus Strait in Turkey, causing fires on the vessels and the start of rescue operations for the people on board, according to Turkish authorities and various sources.
The 274-meter-long vessel Kairos suffered an explosion and caught fire in the Black Sea while sailing from Egypt to Russia, according to the Turkish Ministry of Transport.
Authorities reported that two rescue speedboats, a tugboat, and an emergency response vessel were immediately sent to the scene, confirming that the 25 crew members on board were rescued safe and sound.
The Kairos was heading to the Russian port of Novorossiysk when it reported “an external impact” that caused a fire 28 nautical miles from the Turkish coast, reported the Turkish Directorate of Maritime Affairs.
It stated that another tanker, the Virat, was reportedly hit about 35 nautical miles offshore, further east in the Black Sea, and rescue units along with a commercial vessel were dispatched to the location.
“Dense smoke was detected in the engine room, but the 20 crew members on board were in good condition,” it added.
Both the Kairos and the Virat are listed among the vessels subject to sanctions imposed against Russia following its large-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to LSEG data.
In recent years, there have been incidents of ships colliding with mines in the Black Sea and some drifting mines have been found.
The Kairos was sailing under the flag of Gambia and in ballast when the incident occurred, reported the shipping agency Tribeca.
The entity indicated that reports suggested the vessel might have hit a mine and was in danger of sinking.
“Maritime traffic through the strait continued,” the agency added.
