Two sanctioned tankers explode in the Black Sea off Turkey
On 28 November, explosions struck two sanctioned tankers in the Black Sea off the Turkish coast. Kairos caught fire and began to sink, while Virat came under attack; all crew members were rescued.
By Oleg Bazylewicz
November 28, 2025 · 1 min read
On Friday, 28 November, explosions occurred on two oil tankers in the Black Sea off the coast of Turkey.
Incidents off the coast
The empty tanker Kairos, registered in The Gambia and en route to load in Novorossiysk, was about 28 nautical miles off the Turkish coast when an explosion and fire broke out on board. After the explosion the vessel's hull began to sink.
Rescue boats, tugs and an emergency vessel were dispatched to the scene; all 25 crew members were evacuated. The fire on Kairos continues.
Crew and rescue
Less than an hour later a second incident occurred: the tanker Virat came under attack about 35 nautical miles off the Turkish coast. There were 20 crew members on board, whose condition is reported as satisfactory. Heavy smoke was detected in the engine room.
Sanctions and background
Kairos is a Suezmax-type vessel that is subject to restrictions by the UK and the EU. Previously it sailed from Novorossiysk to India carrying Urals crude; the explosion occurred while it was returning to Novorossiysk to load.
The tanker Virat is under US and EU sanctions for transporting Russian oil; after being added to the US list on 10 January it spent most of the year idle in the western part of the Black Sea.
- In September it was estimated that the Russian "shadow fleet" numbered about 940 tankers, representing roughly 17% of the world’s oil tanker fleet.
- On 20 November it was reported that the EU is considering additional sanctions against this fleet.
