Turkey said Saturday that one of two oil tankers damaged by explosions in the Black Sea had been struck a second time overnight, as a Ukrainian security source claimed responsibility and said naval drones targeted vessels believed to be moving sanctioned Russian oil.
The Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Ministry said the tanker Virat was hit again early Saturday by unmanned maritime vehicles about 35 nautical miles off Turkey’s Black Sea coast. The ministry said the ship sustained minor starboard damage and that its 20 crew members were unharmed.
The Virat and another tanker, the Kairos, had first reported explosions late Friday while sailing in Turkish waters. Both tankers were empty at the time.
A Ukrainian security source from the SBU intelligence service told Agence France-Presse that “modernized Sea Baby naval drones successfully targeted the vessels” and shared footage showing waterborne drones moving toward ships before detonations.
Turkey’s statement on Saturday marked the first official confirmation that at least one vessel was struck by drones.
The Kairos was hit earlier Friday about 28 nautical miles off the Turkish coast, Turkish maritime authorities said. A fire broke out on board, and rescuers evacuated its 25 crew members. Images released by Turkish officials showed flames and thick black smoke pouring from the vessel.
Turkish officials said the Kairos had been en route to Russia’s Black Sea port of Novorossiysk. The Caspian Pipeline Consortium said Saturday that a major oil terminal at the port halted operations after being damaged in a separate naval drone strike. The terminal is a key hub for Kazakh crude exports.
Ukraine, which has repeatedly targeted Russian energy infrastructure during the war, did not immediately comment on the Novorossiysk strike.
Tracking data from VesselFinder showed the Virat was roughly 400 kilometers east of the Bosporus entrance when it was first hit, while the Kairos was about 100 kilometers east of the strait.
Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said Friday night that both tankers had suffered “explosions,” telling broadcaster NTV that early assessments pointed to a mine, rocket or drone strike.
Both tankers fly the flag of Gambia and are under Western sanctions for transporting Russian oil in violation of the price-cap regime imposed after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
© Agence France-Presse
