By Can Sezer
ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Blasts rocked two tankers from Russia’s shadow fleet within the Black Sea close to Turkey’s Bosphorus strait on Friday, inflicting fires on the vessels, and rescue operations had been launched for these on board, Turkish authorities and sources mentioned.
The 274-meter-long tanker Kairos suffered an explosion and caught hearth within the Black Sea whereas en route from Egypt to Russia, Turkey’s Transport Ministry mentioned.
It mentioned two quick rescue boats, a tugboat, and an emergency response vessel had been instantly dispatched to the scene and the 25 crew members on board had been safely rescued.
Kairos was heading to Russia’s Novorossiysk port when it reported “an exterior affect” inflicting a hearth 28 nautical miles off the Turkish shore, Turkey’s Maritime Affairs Directorate mentioned.
It mentioned one other tanker, Virat, was reportedly struck some 35 nautical miles offshore, additional east within the Black Sea, and rescue items and a industrial vessel had been despatched to the scene.
Heavy smoke was detected within the engine room however the 20 personnel on board had been in good situation, it added.
Each Kairos and Virat are on a listing of ships topic to sanctions imposed in opposition to Russia following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, in response to LSEG knowledge.
There have been incidents of ships hitting mines within the Black Sea in recent times and a few mines have been discovered drifting.
The Kairos was crusing beneath the Gambian flag and in ballast when the incident occurred, Tribeca delivery company mentioned.
It mentioned studies indicated that the ship might have struck a mine and be in peril of sinking.
Transport site visitors by the strait continued, the company mentioned.
(Reporting by Can Sezer, Ezgi Erkoyun, Tuvan Gumrukcu and Enes Tunagur; Writing by Daren Butler; Modifying by Aidan Lewis)