28 November 2025
The oil tanker Kairos, en route to Russia, struck a mine in the Black Sea off the Turkish coast. The vessel, which is subject to UK and EU sanctions for transporting Russian oil, was damaged by the explosion and subsequent fire, Bloomberg reports , citing Turkey’s Directorate General of Maritime Affairs.
Turkish authorities also reported a similar incident involving a second tanker, the Virat. Both vessels were unladen at the time of the incident. Rescue vessels have been dispatched to assist the stricken tankers.
According to vessel tracking data, the Kairos was returning to a Russian port for loading after a voyage from Novorossiysk to Paradip, India, carrying a cargo of Urals crude oil. The Virat, a tanker subject to US and EU sanctions for transporting Russian oil, had been idle in the western Black Sea for most of the year after being added to the US sanctions list on January 10, Bloomberg notes.
According to Tribeca Shipping, the Kairos is at risk of sinking after hitting a mine. However, the agency notes that shipping traffic through the Bosphorus Strait has not been interrupted and is continuing as usual.
The Z-channel “Zloy Moryachok” (Evil Sailor) reports that one of the tankers was attacked by five unmanned boats. “The engine room area was hit. The engine room is flooding. The crew of 19 is Russian citizens,” it reports. Although the channel does not name the specific vessel, it does indicate that it was sailing under the Gambian flag. According to Bloomberg, the tanker Kairos flies this flag.
Reuters recalls that in recent years, there have been numerous incidents in the Black Sea involving ships hitting sea mines, as well as instances of drifting mines being discovered.
If mafia land put the mines there to begin with, all the better.
Most likely, they are roach mines.