The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey reported that the vessel "Virat", after explosions in the Black Sea the day before, was again damaged early in the morning, writes UNN.
Details
The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure of Turkey issued a statement regarding the condition of the tanker "Kairos", which caught fire while en route from Egypt to Russia, and the vessel "Virat", which was damaged off the country's Black Sea coast.
"This morning, the vessel "Virat" was again damaged, resulting in minor damage to its starboard side. There is no fire on board, and the crew is in good condition. Rescue teams are maintaining a safe distance from the vessel for safety reasons. The vessel remains stable," the Turkish ministry said in a statement on Saturday.
The Turkish ministry stated that "25 crew members of the tanker Kairos, which caught fire as a result of an explosion during a voyage between Egypt and Russia, were safely evacuated by our teams from the General Directorate of Coastal Safety."
"After night intervention by a tugboat... and an emergency response vessel... the fire on the open deck has been completely extinguished, and extinguishing and cooling operations are ongoing in the enclosed spaces. Our environmental experts and divers are ready for investigation," the report said.
According to a local port agent, as reported by Bloomberg, the first tanker, "Kairos," was taking on water after the explosion. The Turkish General Directorate of Maritime Affairs confirmed the incident and reported that a second vessel, "Virat," was also damaged off the coast of Turkey and engulfed in smoke. The causes of the incident are unclear, and a rescue operation is currently underway.
These two vessels are two of hundreds assembled to ensure the transportation of Russian oil after the invasion of Ukraine. Kairos is under sanctions from the UK and the European Union, and Virat is under sanctions from the US and the EU.
Recall
Two ocean tankers, heavily sanctioned for carrying Russian oil, suffered almost simultaneous explosions off Turkey's Black Sea coast.