23 Indians rescued after Liberia-flagged oil tanker attacked off Russia’s Black Sea coast

Mangalore Today News Network

Moscow, Oct 7, 2026: All 23 Indian crew members aboard a Liberia-flagged oil tanker were rescued after the vessel came under attack by unmanned surface vessels (USVs) off Russia’s Black Sea coast, Russian authorities said.

The Aframax Rio tanker was attacked on Tuesday near Sochi, a popular Russian resort city, with the assault triggering a major fire aboard the vessel.

“The crew has been saved and evacuated to shore,” a spokesperson for Russia’s Transport Ministry told the state-run TASS news agency.

The ministry said all 23 crew members, who are Indian nationals, were rescued and that preliminary information indicated there were no injuries.

The fire was reportedly too intense for firefighting operations to begin immediately. Oil was continuing to burn in the Black Sea, and firefighting efforts could start only after the flames subsided enough for rescue vessels to safely approach the tanker.

Russian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin chaired a meeting to coordinate efforts to deal with the consequences of the attack.

As a precaution, Sochi authorities temporarily closed the city’s beaches and sea embankments. Mayor Andrey Proshunin urged residents and tourists to avoid the affected areas until officials declared them safe.

The attack comes amid growing risks to commercial shipping in the Black Sea due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Two days earlier, at least two people were killed and several crew members, including an Indian national, were injured after a Russian drone strike triggered a fire aboard a Turkish-owned civilian cargo vessel in the Black Sea.

India has expressed grave concern over attacks targeting commercial shipping and seafarers in international waters, warning that such incidents threaten global trade and the welfare of people worldwide.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has also said India has intensified diplomatic efforts to help resolve the Ukraine conflict through engagement with both Kyiv and Moscow.