The Turkish transportation minister confirmed that a drone had struck a crude oil tanker from Turkey, which was leaving Russia. This caused an explosion near the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul's Black Sea. Abdulkadir Uraloglu, the minister of transportation, told Kanal '24 that this incident was one of many in recent months, involving Western sanctioned vessels headed to or from Russian port. He said that all 27 crew members were safe. The coastguard was dispatched to the vessel, the Altura. It is located about 18 nautical mile (33 km), from the Bosphorus. This is a key commodities-shipping route linking the Black Sea, Marmara, and Mediterranean. Uraloglu said that the attack was likely to disable the engine of the Sierra Leone flagged vessel, which was carrying Russian oil. Refinitiv AIS and ship-tracking data revealed that the Altura left Russia's Novorossiysk port with approximately 1 million barrels crude oil. It appeared to be almost fully loaded.

The European Union and Britain sanctioned the ship. Russia and Ukraine, who have been at war with each other for over four years, share the Black Sea, along with many other countries. After Ukrainian drones attacked tankers bound for Russia in the Black Sea late last year, insurance rates increased. This prompted Moscow to threaten retaliation, and NATO member Turkey to urge calm. On Thursday, neither Moscow nor Kyiv made an immediate comment.

According to Refinitiv, the registered owner of the latest ship that was hit is China's Sea?Grace?Shipping Ltd. The manager is Turkey's Pergamon Denizcilik.

Pergamon could not be contacted immediately. NTV had earlier reported an explosion and water in the engine room on the ship's bridge. The crew then sought help from Turkish authorities. Reporting by Can Sezer Tuvan Gumrukcu Daren Butler. Jonathan Spicer is the author. Christian Schmollinger, Mark Potter and Christian Schmollinger edited the work.

(source: Reuters)