Sanctioned Russian ‘shadow fleet’ tanker at risk of sinking after blast near Turkey
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A photo said to be of the vessel called Kairos circulating online. Reports indicate that the ship may have struck a mine and be in danger of sinking.
PHOTO: X
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- The tanker Kairos, part of Russia's "shadow fleet" and sanctioned by the UK/EU, may have struck a mine north of Turkey.
- An explosion and fire broke out; the Turkish maritime authority cited an "external impact". Rescue efforts evacuated the 25 crew.
- The Kairos, sailing from Russia to India previously, was returning to Russia. The Bosphorus remains open despite the incident.
AI generated
ISTANBUL – An oil tanker from Russia’s shadow fleet
The vessel, called Kairos, suffered an explosion and a fire broke out on board.
Turkey’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs said an external impact caused the blaze aboard the almost 275m ship, and vessels had been dispatched to evacuate the 25 crew on board.
It was not carrying cargo at the time.
The port agent report said the vessel could have hit a mine.
Kairos is a Suezmax tanker that has been sanctioned by Britain and the EU for carrying Russian oil, but not by the US.
Its previous voyage was from the Russian port of Novorossiysk to Paradip in India, hauling Urals crude. It was heading back to the Russian port to load its next cargo, according to vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg.
There has been a persistent risk of vessels being hit by mines in the region since Russia’s war in Ukraine began, with a handful of ships suffering explosions as a result.
Earlier in 2025, there were also a series of mystery explosions on board ships that had carried oil for Russia outside of the Black Sea.
An e-mail address and phone number listed on a maritime database as the vessel’s manager did not respond to requests for comment outside of normal business hours.
The Bosphorus, a key trade artery for commodities including Russian oil from ports in the Black Sea, remains open.
The Kairos sails under the flag of Gambia, the agent said. BLOOMBERG
