Tanker fire in the Black Sea. Russian resort shrouded in smoke, beaches closed

The Liberian-flagged Aframax Rio tanker was hit by a drone off the coast of Sochi, Russian authorities said. As a result of the attack, a fire broke out on board and the crude oil that leaked onto the water surface caught fire.

The crew was saved, but the firefighting operation was hindered

There were 23 crew members on board the tanker - all of them Indian citizens. No one was hurt - everyone was evacuated without injuries. However, the rescue operation was very difficult. Firefighters had difficulty approaching the burning ship due to the intensity of the fire and the oil spreading on the water surface.

The Russian Ministry of Transport said that the fire-fighting operation will begin in full scale only when the fire weakens and rescuers can safely approach the tanker.

Due to thick black smoke, beaches in Sochi were closed and access to parts of the coast was limited. Toxic smoke spread towards the city.

Shadow fleet tanker