Türkiye rescues crew of tanker that caught fire in Black Sea

By Gokhan Ergocun

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye's rescue units rescued all staff of a tanker ship, KAIROS, which caught fire on Friday, the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs announced on US social media platform X.

The directorate said the empty KAIROS tanker, en route to the port of Novoroski, Russia, caught fire due to an external factor 28 miles (45 kilometers) off Türkiye's coast.

The evacuation of personnel aboard the KAIROS has been completed by the Directorate General of Coastal Safety.

The Directorate General for Maritime Affairs previously said all 25 crew members on board are in good condition.

Separately, the directorate said a tanker, named VIRAT, was reported to have been hit approximately 35 nautical miles offshore in the Black Sea.

Rescue teams and a commercial vessel were dispatched to the ship, it said, adding that all 20 crew members on board are in good condition.