WW3 fears soar as another Russian tanker attacked in devastating ‘drone strike’ | World | News
Another oil tanker believed to be in Vladimir Putin’s shadow fleet has been hit by a suspected drone in the Black Sea, say reports. The Palau-flagged oil tanker Elbus was reportedly seen with smoke pouring its deck some 30 miles off the coast of Turkey.
Accounts say the tanker – until last year called Euroleader – issued a distress call and then “abrupt changed direction” to head for Turkish waters. The tanker was towed by Turkish coastguard teams to İnebolu port for damage inspection.
The 899ft is initially believed to have been hit by an aerial drone suspected to have been Ukrainian.
The vessel was en route to the Russian port of Novorossiysk, presumably to load crude oil.
No crew injuries were reported.
The tanker, built in 2005 and with a deadweight of 159,062 tonnes, was not sanctioned by the West.
Flagged in Palau, it is reportedly registered to a Hong Kong company.
Turkish broadcaster NTV reported: “The Elbus oil tanker, sailing approximately 30 miles off the coast of Abana district in Kastamonu, was hit in its upper sections during a drone attack.
“Following a distress call from the ship, which is believed to have been the target of a drone attack, Coast Guard Command teams were dispatched to the area.”
It had sailed from Singapore and passed through the Bosphorus a few days ago.
The incident comes after the US with British help seized the Russian-linked Marinera tanker in the North Atlantic over sanctions on Venezuela.
The Elbus is the fifth tanker to be hit in the Black Sea since November, apparently part of Ukraine’s bid to hamper Russia’s bid to earn money from oil exports to fund its illegal war.
