In a dramatic escalation of maritime tensions, an unmanned vessel struck a Russian tanker in the Black Sea late Friday night, as confirmed by Turkish authorities. The incident, marked by powerful explosions near the Turkish shoreline, sent panic through the crew and triggered an urgent international response.
Panic and Mayday Calls: The Moment of Attack
Footage from aboard the tanker Virat captured the chaos of the moment. A crew member could be heard reporting a "drone attack" in a panicked voice, frantically issuing a mayday call and pleading for help. The situation was initially confusing for rescue teams. Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu told local media that the first warnings indicated the tanker Kairos might have hit a mine. This was before separate reports confirmed an explosion on the Virat.
Minister Uraloglu stated, "Our crews confirm explosions on the other ship, likely caused by external interference. Possibilities include a mine, missile, marine vessel, or drone, but we lack definitive confirmation." This official statement highlighted the initial uncertainty surrounding the precise nature of the assault.
Ukraine Steps Forward: Claiming Responsibility and Revealing Tactics
Clarity emerged from a Ukrainian source, which openly claimed responsibility for the daring attack. The source alleged that the vessels were secretly transporting sanctioned Russian oil. According to a report from news agency AFP, which cited a Ukrainian security service source, the strike was carried out by "modernised Sea Baby naval drones." This claim points to a sophisticated and targeted operation against Russian energy logistics.
Locations and Aftermath of the Dual Explosions
The sequence of events and their geographical spread reveal a coordinated effort. The first explosion hit the tanker Kairos around 1500 GMT on Friday. The blast caused a fire to break out, forcing rescuers to evacuate all 25 crew members from the vessel. Officials reported its location was approximately 100 kilometres east of the point where the Bosphorus Strait meets the Black Sea.
The attack on the Virat occurred later and was situated much further east. According to data from the VesselFinder tracking site, the Virat was about 400 kilometres further east of the first incident, indicating a wide operational range for the attacking drones. These twin strikes in different parts of the sea underscore a significant new threat to maritime security in the region.
