Attacks Against the KAIROS and VIRAT Ships in the Black Sea

On 28–29 November 2025, attacks targeting two empty oil tankers flying the flag of The Gambia, KAIROS and VIRAT, while navigating the Black Sea, have become a critical issue closely monitored for regional maritime security. The 274-meter-long KAIROS, en route from Egypt to Russia’s Novorossiysk Port, experienced a fire following an explosion approximately 52 nautical miles from the exit of the Bosporus Strait; after this incident occurred about 28 nautical miles from the Turkish coast, the 25-member crew aboard the vessel was evacuated. On the same day, reports indicated that the other tanker, VIRAT, approximately 35 nautical miles offshore in the Black Sea, had also been struck. Although the crews of both vessels were in good health, the incidents were collectively treated as a single security matter requiring coordinated attention.

By the morning of 29 November, the fire on KAIROS had been extinguished, and suppression and cooling operations continued within the vessel’s enclosed compartments; VIRAT, despite sustaining limited damage to its starboard side, was confirmed to have maintained stable navigation and experienced no fire onboard. Information that Ukraine’s Security Service and Ukraine’s Navy had claimed responsibility for the attacks on both tankers as part of a military operation using unmanned systems, and that the vessels were identified as part of Russia’s so-called “shadow fleet” used to circumvent sanctions, has directly linked the KAIROS–VIRAT case to the maritime dimension of the war in the Black Sea.

Course of Events and Rescue Operations

On the evening of 28 November 2025, reports were received of an explosion occurring on the 274-meter-long empty KAIROS tanker, which was en route from Egypt to Russia’s Novorossiysk Port, approximately 52 nautical miles from the exit of the Bosporus Strait. Initial reports indicated the explosion occurred in the engine room and that the captain had warned of a risk of sinking. Subsequent official statements clarified that KAIROS was sailing approximately 28 nautical miles from the Turkish coast and 28–30 nautical miles from the Kefken shoreline when it experienced a fire “due to an external influence.” Following the explosion, a fire broke out on the vessel, spread across its structure, and was accompanied by intermittent minor explosions.

Team Returning from Assistance to KAIROS (Anadolu Ajansı)

Immediately after the incident, the condition of the 25 crew members aboard KAIROS was confirmed: all were alive and in generally good health. The Coast Guard General Directorate’s fast rescue boats KEGM-9 and KEGM-10, the rescue tugboat Kurtarma-12, and the Nene Hatun Emergency Response Vessel were dispatched to the area; the crew was evacuated from the vessel by KEGM-10 and safely retrieved from the sea.

The rescued personnel were transported to the Coast Guard Command in Kandıra district of Kocaeli, where initial medical checks were conducted, followed by precautionary transfer to Kandıra State Hospital. Statements from the Kocaeli Governorate and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure emphasized that no injuries were reported among the crew and that their overall health condition was good. Meanwhile, the fire on KAIROS continued for some time, with Nene Hatun and the tugboats continuing firefighting efforts; by the morning of 29 November, the fire was declared extinguished, with suppression and cooling operations continuing in the vessel’s enclosed areas.

While developments regarding KAIROS continued, on the same day another empty tanker, VIRAT, sailing approximately 35 nautical miles off the coast of Kastamonu in the Black Sea, reported being “struck” and requested assistance. According to the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs, rescue assets and a commercial vessel were redirected to the area following the report from VIRAT, and the 20-member crew aboard was confirmed to be in good health.

One of the Rescued Crew Members from KAIROS (Anadolu Ajansı)

Initial assessments indicated heavy smoke detected in the engine room but no fire or emergency situation requiring abandonment of the vessel; the crew did not request to evacuate. In response to potential risks, tugboats equipped with firefighting and towing capabilities were dispatched to the area under the coordination of the Zonguldak Regional Port Authority.

New statements issued on the morning of 29 November by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure announced that VIRAT had suffered a second attack during the early hours, resulting in limited damage to its starboard side. Nevertheless, the vessel maintained its stable condition, and it was confirmed that both tankers were empty at the time of the incidents and that no marine pollution had occurred.

For security reasons, rescue teams remained at a safe distance from VIRAT, while continuous monitoring and technical assessments of the situation aboard both KAIROS and VIRAT were maintained; it was confirmed that there was no immediate threat to the safety of the crew. Thus, while the emergency phase concerning both tankers was largely brought under control, the structural condition of the vessels and the nature of the incidents continue to be closely monitored by official authorities.

Security Risks and Attribution of the Attack

Official statements described the incident involving KAIROS as a fire caused “by an external influence,” while VIRAT reported being “struck.” In the initial phase, possibilities such as mines, missiles, or other forms of external interference were considered; statements from the ship captains referencing “drone attacks” reached the public. Subsequently, Ukraine’s Security Service and Ukraine’s Navy announced they had carried out the attacks on both tankers using unmanned systems (unmanned maritime and aerial vehicles), thereby establishing that the incidents constituted deliberate acts of aggression directly linked to the ongoing war rather than accidental technical failures.

Spokesperson Öncü Keçeli of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Türkiye “welcomed with concern” the attacks on the Gambian-flagged commercial tankers KAIROS and VIRAT, emphasizing that these events occurring within Türkiye’s Exclusive Economic Zone pose serious risks to navigation, human life, property, and environmental safety in the region. The statement underscored that Türkiye is maintaining contact with relevant parties to prevent the war from spreading to and escalating in the Black Sea and to ensure Türkiye’s economic interests and activities in the region are not adversely affected. The identification of both tankers in international sanction databases as part of a “shadow fleet” characterized by sanctioned status, multiple flag changes, complex ownership structures, and route and visibility obfuscation has heightened the likelihood of such vessels becoming targets in conflict and increased uncertainty in maritime security, insurance, and regulatory domains. The KAIROS and VIRAT incidents are therefore regarded as concrete indicators of a multi-layered risk environment in the Black Sea shaped by drifting mines, unmanned systems, and sanctions pressure.

Regional Implications and Required Measures

The attacks on the KAIROS and VIRAT tankers have revealed a complex scenario demanding integrated approaches to commercial shipping, energy and raw material transport, and maritime security policies in the Black Sea. The fact that these incidents occurred within Türkiye’s Exclusive Economic Zone, an area already marked by mine threats, unmanned maritime and aerial systems, and heightened military tensions, has compelled Ankara to adopt additional measures to enhance coastal security and ensure the safety of national maritime transport routes. Although the tankers were empty at the time of the incidents and no marine pollution occurred—a positive outcome—the possibility of similar attacks recurring necessitates the updating of risk monitoring, early warning, and maritime traffic information systems.

Kocaeli Governor İlhami Aktaş (Anadolu Ajansı)

In this context, strengthening information sharing and operational coordination among relevant institutions—including the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Ministry of Interior—reviewing the current status of mine countermeasure and maritime security cooperation in the Black Sea, and updating navigation warnings, route planning guidelines, and risk advisories for hazardous areas have become key priorities. The Minister of Transport and Infrastructure’s statement that the vessels would be directed to safe ports indicates that discussions on maritime security and environmental risk management will continue beyond the emergency phase.

Additionally, evaluating existing emergency response capacities—such as tugboats, emergency response vessels, unmanned detection systems, aerial assets, and medical teams—based on current experience, and developing joint approaches through diplomatic channels with regional countries to prevent the war from expanding into the Black Sea, are regarded as critical agenda items for preventive measures and collaborative risk management.