On Friday, two tankers that are under sanctions caught fire in the Black Sea after reporting external impacts near the Turkish coast. Fortunately, all crew members were safe as Turkish rescue teams quickly responded to both incidents.
The first tanker, an empty ship named Kairos, was headed to Russia's Novorossiysk port when it reported a fire caused by an external impact about 28 nautical miles offshore. All 25 crew members were in good condition, and Turkish rescue units were sent to help evacuate them.
This tanker is sanctioned by the UK and the EU for its role in transporting Russian oil.
According to Reuters and the shipping agency Tribeca, the explosion and fire started in the engine room while the Kairos was around 52 miles north of the Bosphorus Strait. There are concerns that the ship may have hit a mine and could be at risk of sinking.
Michelle Wiese Bockmann, a maritime intelligence analyst with Windward AI, stated that the Kairos was among 72 vessels recently removed from the Gambian ship registry due to issues with fraudulently issued certificates. “This means the vessel has no flag, is stateless, and any insurance or classification it might have is invalid because it is falsely claiming to fly the flag of Gambia,” Bockmann explained on X.
She also mentioned, “The ship is in ballast, which is less risky, but I have always said that the dark fleet is an accident waiting to happen, and incidents like this are just a warning of what might occur in the future.”
Later the same day, a second tanker, the Virat, reported being struck about 35 nautical miles offshore in the Black Sea. Heavy smoke was seen coming from its engine room, but all 20 crew members were reported to be safe. Turkish rescue units and a commercial vessel were sent to provide assistance.
The Virat is also under sanctions by the U.S. and the EU for its involvement in shipping Russian oil.
Despite these two incidents, shipping traffic through the Bosphorus Strait continued without disruption.
The term "dark fleet" refers to ships operating outside normal regulatory oversight, often used to bypass international sanctions. These vessels typically lack proper insurance, safety certifications, and flag state oversight, raising concerns about environmental risks and safety in international waters.