26 March,2026 03:27 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Turkey’s Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu. Pic/ X (@a_uraloglu)
A Turkish-operated oil tanker was attacked early Thursday in the Black Sea, according to Turkey's Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu.
The ship, which was sailing under the flag of Sierra Leone, had loaded crude oil from Russia when it reported an explosion in its engine room shortly after midnight. The incident was reported to Turkey's emergency call centre.
Officials believe the attack may have been carried out using an unmanned surface vehicle rather than a drone. The minister said the explosion appeared to be targeted specifically at the engine room, suggesting that the aim was to disable the ship completely.
"It appears to be an externally caused explosion, particularly directed at the engine room, with the aim of completely disabling the ship," Uraloglu said in a televised statement.
Authorities have not confirmed whether the attack took place in Turkish waters. However, local media reports suggest that the incident happened less than 30 kilometres from the Bosphorus Strait, a key global shipping route.
Following the explosion, Turkish authorities sent response teams to the scene and are continuing to monitor developments.
The incident comes amid ongoing tensions in the region due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The Black Sea has become an area of concern, with increasing security risks for commercial shipping.
In December, Turkey witnessed a series of security incidents linked to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warning against the Black Sea becoming an "area of confrontation" between the warring parties as reported by AFP.
Turkey shares its northern coastline with Ukraine and Crimea, which was annexed by Russia. Despite the conflict, Turkey has maintained close ties with both Kyiv and Moscow since the start of the war in February 2022.
The latest attack highlights the growing risks to maritime activity in the region and raises concerns over the safety of commercial vessels operating in the Black Sea.
(With AFP Inputs)
