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Tanker Carrying 23 Indians Catches Fire Off Russian Coast After Drone Attack
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Firstpost•07-10-2026, 07:04
Tanker Carrying 23 Indians Catches Fire Off Russian Coast After Drone Attack
- •A Liberian-flagged crude oil tanker named Aframax Rio caught fire near Sochi on Russia's Black Sea coast following an uncrewed naval drone attack.
- •All 23 Indian crew members aboard the vessel were safely rescued with no reported injuries, according to Russia's Transport Ministry.
- •The attack caused crude oil to burn on the water's surface, producing thick black smoke and prompting the temporary closure of nearby beaches in Sirius.
- •Atmospheric monitoring confirmed that pollutant concentrations along the coast remained below maximum permissible levels and posed no threat to public health.
- •The tanker, which was previously listed on Ukraine's sanctions list, was transporting Russian crude oil when the incident occurred.
Key Questions Answered
A Liberian-flagged crude oil tanker named Aframax Rio caught fire off Russia's Black Sea coast near Sochi after being targeted by uncrewed naval drones. All 23 Indian crew members aboard were safely rescued, and preliminary reports indicated no injuries.
All 23 crew members aboard the tanker were safely evacuated by rescue teams, and preliminary reports confirmed there were no injuries or fatalities.
Local authorities in Sirius temporarily closed beaches as emergency services responded to the incident and deployed firefighting teams. Atmospheric monitoring teams also checked coastal pollution levels and found that pollutant concentrations remained well below maximum permissible limits.
