Two oil tankers under international sanctions saw explosions on board off of Türkiye’s coastline, the country’s Directorate General for Maritime Affairs said on Friday, prompting an emergency response from local authorities, Bloomberg reported.

The first vessel, the Kairos, suffered an explosion that ignited a fire on board, according to a local port agent, and the directorate confirmed the incident. Another explosion hit a second ship, the Virat, in nearby waters, with rescue and support vessels dispatched to both scenes.

The port agent’s initial assessment suggested the Kairos may have struck a mine. Since the start of the war in Ukraine, maritime authorities have warned of drifting mines in the region, and several commercial ships have been damaged in unexplained explosions.

Navigation safety concerns

A series of blasts earlier this year targeted vessels that had transported Russian oil outside the Black Sea, adding to concerns about navigation safety.

The Kairos, a Suezmax-class tanker, has been sanctioned by the UK and European Union for carrying Russian crude, though it is not blacklisted by the United States.

Vessel-tracking data showed it had recently completed a voyage from Russia’s port of Novorossiysk to Paradip, India, transporting Urals crude and was returning to Russia to load its next cargo. It was empty at the time of the explosion and sails under the flag of Gambia.

The Virat, also empty when it was struck, has been sanctioned by both the US and EU for its role in shipping Russian oil. It was added to the US Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctions list in January.

Attempts to reach the listed managers of both vessels went unanswered. Despite the incidents, the Bosphorus, a crucial corridor for commodities including Russian oil, remains open to traffic.