A Liberian-registered oil tanker carrying an all-Indian crew caught fire off Russia’s Black Sea coast after being struck by what Russian authorities described as Ukrainian naval drones. All 23 Indian seafarers aboard were safely evacuated, according to Russia’s Transport Ministry.

The attack took place near Sochi, one of Russia’s best-known Black Sea resort cities, home to nearly 5,00,000 residents and a major tourist destination on the country’s southern coastline.

Russian officials stated that the strike ignited crude oil, resulting in a massive blaze both aboard and around the vessel. The fire became so intense that emergency crews were initially unable to approach the tanker, forcing authorities to postpone firefighting operations until conditions became safer.

Social media footage showed towering orange flames spreading across the water and a dense column of black smoke rising above the Black Sea near Sochi. As a precaution, local authorities restricted access to parts of the coastline and nearby beaches while emergency services monitored the situation.

Several reports identified the vessel as the Aframax Rio, a Liberian-flagged crude carrier that was operating close to the Russian coast when the attack occurred. The ship has previously appeared on Ukraine’s sanctions list as part of what Kyiv describes as Russia’s “shadow fleet” involved in transporting Russian oil exports.

The tanker incident came only a day after the commercial vessel MV Royad Mammadov caught fire and sank off the Romanian coast. That separate tragedy resulted in two foreign deaths and injuries among crew members, including three Indian nationals.

India reacted strongly to the latest escalation, reiterating its call for dialogue and diplomacy as the only sustainable path towards ending ongoing conflicts. New Delhi also expressed concern over repeated attacks on merchant shipping and seafarers operating in international waters.

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the Indian crew members injured in the Romanian incident had been rescued by Romanian authorities and were receiving medical treatment. India also thanked Romania for its swift response, while Indian Ambassador Manoj Mohapatra visited the injured sailors at Constanța County Hospital and assured them of continued support.

The MEA underlined that attacks on commercial shipping threaten global trade, supply chains and the welfare of people worldwide. India further highlighted its role in co-launching the United Nations’ “Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers”, an initiative focused on protecting maritime commerce and crews operating in high-risk regions.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had similarly raised concerns about growing threats to commercial maritime traffic during his recent address at the United Nations General Assembly.

The latest strike reflects the steadily worsening security environment across the Black Sea since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in 2022. Commercial vessels, ports, energy facilities and maritime infrastructure have increasingly become targets as both sides expand the scope of their operations.

In recent weeks, Russia has conducted strikes against grain vessels transporting Ukrainian exports near Romania, a member of the European Union. Ukraine, meanwhile, continues to defend attacks on Russian petroleum infrastructure as retaliation for sustained Russian aerial assaults on Ukrainian cities.

Both Moscow and Kyiv have signalled their intention to intensify military operations, fuelling concerns among maritime operators and insurers over the safety of commercial navigation in one of the world’s strategically important shipping corridors.

Russia has also increased attacks on key infrastructure in Kyiv, including major bridges, while daylight drone raids on the Ukrainian capital have introduced a new operational pattern that has caused significant disruption and widespread traffic congestion.

The tanker fire off Sochi is the latest reminder of the growing risks facing civilian shipping in the Black Sea, where the conflict is increasingly affecting merchant vessels, seafarers and international maritime trade.

ANI