of its “shadow” transport fleet was hit at sea and is in danger of sinking off Turkey in , according to international agencies.
Unloaded, the tanker probably ran into a mine
As it was known earlier, an explosion was recorded on the Kairos tanker and then a fire broke out in the engine room. The tanker was sailing unloaded about 50 nautical miles north of the Bosphorus Strait. Based on agency sources, the ship probably hit a mine.
The Turkish authorities immediately rushed to the scene, sending tugboats and coast guard vessels to provide assistance, as the agent states in a related note.
Kairos, a Suezmax, is sanctioned by the UK and EU for carrying Russian oil, but not by the US. According to ship tracking data, its previous voyage was from the Russian port of Novorossiysk to Paradip, India. It was carrying Russian crude and was heading back to the Russian port for a new cargo.
