Two oil tankers under sanctions, Kairos and Virat, caught fire in the Black Sea several dozen nautical miles off Turkey’s coast. Their crews remain unharmed while investigations into the explosions continue.
On Friday, Turkish officials announced that two oil tankers connected to the infamous Russian «shadow fleet» and listed under international sanctions caught fire near the Bosporus Strait, prompting an extensive rescue mission.
The initial vessel, the Gambia-flagged Kairos, exploded and ignited about 28 nautical miles off Turkey’s Kocaeli province while en route from Egypt to Novorossiysk in Russia, according to the Turkish Transport Ministry. At the time, it carried no cargo.
Shortly after, another tanker named Virat was reported to have been «hit» in a different part of the Black Sea, approximately 35 nautical miles from the Turkish coastline.
According to Turkish maritime authorities, the first explosion resulted from an «external impact,» though further information regarding the origin of the strike has not been disclosed.
The sequence of events remains ambiguous, with officials not excluding possibilities such as naval mine detonation or a deliberate assault. In recent years, incidents of ships striking drifting mines in the Black Sea have been documented.
Until more conclusive evidence is obtained, maritime authorities remain on heightened alert, continuously monitoring the situation to prevent further occurrences and safeguard navigation through the Bosporus region.
Sanctions history concerning Kairos and Virat vessels
Quick response by the coast guard and rescue teams ensured the safe evacuation of both crews: 25 aboard Kairos and 20 on Virat.
Both vessels are listed under international sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and are identified as part of Moscow’s fleet of aging cargo ships used to bypass restrictions on Russian oil exports.
Per data from OpenSanctions, the US imposed sanctions on Virat in January of this year, with the EU, Switzerland, the UK, and Canada following suit.
Kairos was sanctioned by the EU in July, subsequently followed by the UK and Switzerland.
«The shadow oil tanker fleet continues generating multibillion-dollar income for the Kremlin by evading sanctions, operating under flags of convenience from third countries, employing complex ownership concealment tactics, and presenting significant environmental risks,» notes OpenSanctions.
Built in 2018, Virat has previously sailed under flags including Barbados, Comoros, Liberia, and Panama. Meanwhile, the 2002-built Kairos has been registered under Panama, Greece, and Liberia.
These incidents on Friday have heightened concerns regarding the environmental consequences and maritime safety in the Black Sea, an area already deemed hazardous due to ongoing conflict and leftover ordnance from past wars.