Spanish
Two sanctioned Russian tankers suffered explosions and fires this Friday in the Black Sea, near the coast of Turkey, which led to a rapid rescue operation for their crews.
The first vessel, Kairos, flying the flag of Gambia, was traveling empty from Egypt to Novorossiysk, Russia, when the explosion occurred about 28 nautical miles from the Turkish province of Kocaeli. Shortly after, another tanker, Virat, also exploded about 35 miles off the Turkish coast.
Turkish authorities sent coast guard, tugboats, and emergency teams to assist the crew members. All occupants of both ships —25 on the Kairos and 20 on the Virat— were rescued and are in stable condition. Preliminary reports suggest that the Kairos explosion may have been due to an external impact, although investigations do not rule out attacks or the presence of mines in the area, a frequent risk in the Black Sea. Currently, Turkish maritime authorities have launched an investigation to determine the causes and reinforce surveillance in the Bosphorus Strait, in order to prevent future incidents.
