Oil Tanker Carrying 23 Indians Catches Fire After Drone Attack Off Russia’s Black Sea Coast

A Liberian-flagged oil tanker carrying 23 Indian crew members caught fire off Russia’s Black Sea coast near Sochi on Tuesday, October 6.

The tanker, Aframax Rio, was carrying crude oil when it was attacked. The fire caused crude oil to burn on the surface of the Black Sea, sending thick black smoke into the air.

All 23 crew members were rescued, according to Russia’s Transport Ministry. The information provided contains different reports about injuries.

One account said one Indian sailor was injured, while the Reuters report cited in the material said there were no injuries.

The fire was initially too strong for firefighters to get close to the tanker. Emergency teams were sent to the area and were expected to make another attempt to tackle the fire after the flames became weaker.

The incident happened near Sochi, the Russian resort city on the Black Sea coast.

Russian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin set up an emergency response headquarters after the attack. Authorities said enough emergency workers and equipment had been sent to the area.

The flames and black smoke could be seen from the Sochi coastline.

Authorities in Sirius, a federal territory near Sochi, temporarily closed beaches and parts of the coastline while emergency operations were underway.

Teams were also sent to monitor air pollution along the coast. Local authorities said pollutant levels were below permitted limits and there was no immediate danger to public health.

Russia’s Transport Ministry said all 23 people on the tanker were rescued. All of them were Indian nationals.

The material provided gives different information about whether anyone was injured. One report said one Indian sailor was injured, while the Reuters account said there were no injuries among the crew.

‼️ A recent drone attack by Ukraine has set an oil tanker ablaze off Russia’s Black Sea coast.

The Liberian-flagged Aframax Rio was attacked off Sochi, triggering a massive fire.

The tanker was carrying 23 Indians. All of them were rescued and no injuries were reported. https://t.co/zbS3PImpqd

— Global Brief (@globalbrief_now) October 7, 2026

The tanker had been operating near Russia’s Black Sea coast before the incident, according to maritime tracking data.

The Aframax Rio had also previously appeared on Ukraine’s sanctions list as part of scrutiny of vessels involved in carrying Russian crude oil.

The Russian Transport Ministry said the tanker was attacked by naval drones or an unmanned vessel. There was no immediate independent confirmation that Ukraine was responsible.

A day before the tanker attack, another commercial vessel caught fire and sank in the Black Sea outside Romania’s territorial waters.

The Turkish-owned cargo vessel MV Royad Mammadov caught fire and sank. Two people were killed, and 11 crew members were rescued.

Three Indian nationals were among the crew. One Indian crew member was injured, according to the material provided.

India condemned the attack and called for dialogue and diplomacy to resolve ongoing conflicts.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs said the injured crew members had been rescued by Romanian authorities and were receiving medical treatment. The ministry also thanked Romania for its quick response.

Indian Ambassador to Romania Manoj Mohapatra visited three Indian nationals receiving treatment at Constanța County Hospital.

The MEA said it was seriously concerned about continued threats to commercial shipping. It said attacks on commercial vessels affect global trade and the safety of people working at sea.

India also referred to its role in co-launching the Group of Friends on Safety and Security of Shipping and Seafarers at the United Nations.

In a separate incident on Tuesday, Bulgarian Prime Minister Rumen Radev said two commercial vessels were hit by drones in Bulgaria’s exclusive economic zone in the Black Sea.

References: Firstpost, OneIndia