A Liberian-flagged oil tanker caught fire in the Black Sea near Sochi; all 23 crew were rescued and parts of the coast were closed because of smoke.
On the evening of 6 October, a Liberian-flagged Aframax oil tanker caught fire in the Black Sea off the Russian city of Sochi. According to Russia's Transport Ministry, the vessel was attacked by naval drones; crude oil was burning openly on the water, and the blaze was so intense that firefighters could not reach it directly. Volunteers Support Ukraine reports only the facts confirmed by several sources.
All 23 crew members, Indian nationals, were rescued without injury. Ukraine added the tanker to its sanctions list back in February 2026, describing it as part of Russia's "shadow fleet" — vessels that help Moscow circumvent Western sanctions and keep up oil exports that feed its war budget.
Thick black smoke rose over the resort city, and residents shared videos of fire on the water. Because of the smoke, access to some beaches and stretches of coastline was restricted. The Russian side describes the incident as an attack by an unmanned vessel.
Sochi's port and oil depot were already hit in September, and the Black Sea remains a high-risk zone for shipping. NGO Volunteers Support Ukraine keeps helping people affected by the war in whatever way the available aid allows, and follows developments that bear on Ukrainians' safety.
