23 Indians evacuated from tanker near Sochi after attack — The Hindu

Near Sochi, Russia, all 23 crew members of the Aframax Rio oil tanker — Indian citizens — were evacuated after an attack. According to preliminary data from the Transport Ministry of the Russian Federation, the aggressor state, none of the sailors was injured. This was reported by The Hindu.

Fire on the tanker

According to the Russian agency, the Liberian-flagged tanker carrying oil was attacked by unmanned surface vessels in the Black Sea near Sochi on October 6.

A spokesperson for the Russian Transport Ministry told the state agency TASS that the crew had been rescued and brought ashore. The ministry said there was an open oil fire aboard the vessel. Due to the intensity of the fire, rescue vessels initially could not safely approach the tanker to begin extinguishing it.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Restrictions in Sochi

Russian Transport Minister Andrey Nikitin held a meeting on dealing with the consequences of the attack on the Aframax Rio. Sochi Mayor Andrey Proshunin announced a temporary ban on access to city beaches and embankments as a precautionary measure.

The attack occurred two days after a fire on a civilian cargo vessel owned by a Turkish operator in the Black Sea. At that time, according to the publication, at least two people were killed in a strike by a Russian drone, while several crew members, including an Indian citizen, were injured.

India's Ministry of External Affairs said it viewed attacks on commercial shipping and sailors with serious concern. The ministry stressed that attacks on shipping on international waterways undermine global trade and people's well-being, and called for dialogue and diplomacy to end conflicts.