Blasts Hit Sanctioned Tankers off Turkey’s Coast, Prompting Rescue Operations

By Can Sezer ISTANBUL (Reuters) – Blasts rocked two tankers from Russia’s shadow fleet in the Black Sea near Turkey’s Bosphorus strait on Friday, causing fires on the vessels, and rescue operations were launched for those on board, Turkish authorities and sources said. The 274-meter-long tanker Kairos suffered an explosion and caught fire in the Black Sea while en route from Egypt to Russia, Turkey’s Transport Ministry said. It said two fast rescue boats, a tugboat, and an emergency response vessel were immediately dispatched to the scene, and the 25 crew members on board were safely rescued. Kairos was heading to Russia’s Novorossiysk port when it reported ‘an external impact’ causing a fire 28 nautical miles off the Turkish shore, Turkey’s Maritime Affairs Directorate said.