Drone Strike Targets Turkish Oil Tanker in the Black Sea Near Istanbul
A Turkish-operated crude oil tanker, the M/T Altura, was targeted by an unmanned surface vessel in the Black Sea on March 26, 2026. The Sierra Leone-flagged ship, which had departed from Novorossiysk, Russia, was carrying approximately 140,000 tons (about one million barrels) of Russian crude oil. The incident occurred approximately 14 to 18 nautical miles off the entrance to the Bosphorus Strait near Istanbul.
The drone strike caused a large explosion, resulting in structural damage to the vessel's bridge and localized flooding in its engine room. Despite the severity of the blast, the 27 Turkish crew members on board were unharmed. Following a distress signal, the Turkish Directorate General of Coastal Safety dispatched emergency response units to secure the vessel. The attack highlights ongoing vulnerabilities and escalating maritime security risks in one of the world's most heavily traversed energy corridors.
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