(MENAFN) Türkiye's rescue teams successfully evacuated the entire crew of the KAIROS, a tanker ship that caught fire on Friday in the Black Sea, the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs confirmed on the social media platform X. The tanker, which was heading to the Russian port of Novorosisk, caught fire approximately 28 miles (45 kilometers) off Türkiye's coast, likely due to an external cause.

The Directorate General of Coastal Safety managed the evacuation, ensuring the safe removal of all 25 crew members aboard. According to reports, the crew members are in good health following the incident.

In a separate incident, another tanker, the VIRAT, was struck about 35 nautical miles offshore in the Black Sea. Rescue teams, along with a commercial vessel, were dispatched to assist, and all 20 crew members aboard the VIRAT were reported to be in stable condition. Authorities clarified that there was no fire or emergency aboard the VIRAT, despite damage to the ship. The crew has not requested to abandon the vessel, and a tugboat equipped for firefighting and towing was sent to the area as a precaution.

Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, stated that operations in response to the incidents were being coordinated seamlessly across relevant agencies. He highlighted that various rescue assets, including fast evacuation boats KEGM-10 and KEGM-9, the tugboat KURTARMA-12, and the Emergency Response Vessel NENE HATUN, were deployed immediately.

The minister thanked the personnel of the Directorate General of Coastal Safety for their swift and professional response in these high-risk situations, underscoring their critical role in ensuring the safety of the crew members. Rescue operations continue to be monitored closely by Turkish authorities.

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