Russia-Bound Tankers Hit by Mystery Blast Off Turkey’s Coast: What We Know About the Casualties

Two oil tankers traveling through the Black Sea were evacuated on Friday (Nov 28) after explosions and fires erupted off Turkey’s northern coast, prompting fears they may have been struck by drifting devices or projectiles. Turkish officials confirmed there were no casualties, and all crew members from both vessels were safely rescued.

The first tanker, the Gambian-flagged Kairos, caught fire around 6:00 pm (1500 GMT) about 28 nautical miles off Kefken in Kocaeli province. The ship was empty and en route to Novorossiysk, a major Russian port.

Turkey’s Directorate General of Maritime Affairs said on X that the vessel ignited “due to external causes.”
“All 25 crew members are safe and sound,” the agency reported.

Second tanker also hit as smoke rises from engine room

Shortly after the Kairos incident, a second tanker—identified as Virat—was also reported to have been struck roughly 35 nautical miles away, according to AFP’s reporting of the maritime directorate’s statement.

Rescue teams were dispatched to both locations, and 20 crew members aboard the Virat were evacuated unharmed. Officials noted thick smoke in the tanker’s engine room, though the source of the explosion remains unclear.

Turkish minister: ‘External cause’ suggests mine or projectile

Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu, speaking on NTV, said that the term “external cause” indicates the vessel was likely hit by a mine, rocket, drone, or unmanned underwater vehicle.

Both tankers are under Western sanctions for transporting Russian oil in violation of the post-February 2022 embargo.

Black Sea risks rise amid drifting mines

Since the start of the Russia–Ukraine war, drifting naval mines have repeatedly threatened commercial shipping in the Black Sea. Several have been found and neutralised, causing heightened vigilance across regional maritime corridors.

In response to growing threats, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania established a Mine Countermeasures Group in 2024 to secure key shipping routes along their shared coastline.

With both incidents occurring within hours and miles of each other, authorities are continuing to investigate whether naval mines or another form of explosive device triggered the blasts.