Moscow: A Ukrainian drone attack triggered a fire on a Liberian-flagged oil tanker carrying an all-Indian crew off Russia’s Black Sea coast, with all 23 crew members rescued, the Russian Transport Ministry said.
According to the ministry, the tanker was attacked by “naval drones”, following which crude oil caught fire in the Black Sea. The blaze was so intense that firefighters were initially unable to tackle it.
The Russian Transport Ministry said that firefighters would make another attempt to bring the fire under control once its intensity was reduced.
All 23 members of the crew were rescued following the attack, the ministry said.
The incident occurred near Sochi, the popular Russian resort city on the Black Sea coast with a population of almost 500,000.
Visuals circulating on social media showed bright orange flames burning out at sea, while a thick column of black smoke could be seen rising into the sky near Sochi.
The city’s mayor said on social media that access to the coast and beaches was being restricted following the incident.
The tanker attack came a day after another ship caught fire and sank off the Romanian coast, killing one person and leaving another missing. Ukraine said the drone attack was launched by Russia. One Indian crew member was also injured in that incident.
Commercial shipping around the Black Sea has increasingly come under attack since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in 2022. Russia and Ukraine have both targeted vessels and maritime infrastructure in the region amid the continuing conflict.
In recent days, Russia has struck grain vessels carrying Ukrainian goods near the coast of Romania, an EU member state.
Ukraine, meanwhile, has maintained that its attacks on Russia’s oil infrastructure are justified as retaliation for Moscow’s nightly strikes on Ukrainian towns and cities.
Both sides have vowed to intensify their attacks in recent weeks, raising concerns over the safety of commercial vessels operating in the Black Sea.
Russia has also intensified attacks on key bridges in Kyiv and launched daytime drone strikes targeting the Ukrainian capital, marking a new tactic that has caused severe disruption and gridlock in the city.
The latest tanker fire has further underscored the risks faced by commercial shipping in the Black Sea as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues.
(IANS)
