Tanker carrying Russian oil hit by drone in Black Sea

The Altura tanker carrying Russian oil was hit by naval drones in the Black Sea off Turkey, causing an explosion near the Bosphorus. According to Turkish Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, the incident took place early in the morning just outside Turkish territorial waters.

There were 27 crew members on board, all of whom are reported to be safe.

The attack appears to have been aimed at disabling the engine room of the Sierra Leone-flagged vessel.

The tanker had set sail from the Russian port of Novorossiysk carrying around one million barrels of oil. The ship is among vessels sanctioned by the European Union and the United Kingdom.

The Black Sea has long been a flashpoint due to the war between Russia and Ukraine. Attacks on tankers in recent months have pushed up insurance costs.

Neither Moscow nor Kyiv has commented on the incident.

(reuters, pir)