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INSTANBUL – A Turkish crude oil tanker carrying 140,000 tonnes of oil from Russia was struck by a drone in the Black Sea off Istanbul’s Bosphorus Strait on Thursday, local media reported.
The vessel, identified as the Altura, was approximately 24 kilometers off the Bosphorus Strait when a large explosion occurred, the report said.
The tanker sustained significant damage to its bridge and engine room, with the latter taking on water, it said.
After the tanker sent a distress signal, the Turkish Directorate General of Coastal Safety and the Coast Guard dispatched several units to the scene, including an emergency response ship.
“All 27 Turkish crew members on board are in good health, with no injuries”, the report said, adding that “emergency operations are ongoing.”
However, Turkish authorities are yet to issue official statement about the origin of the drone or whether the incident was a targeted attack.(Xinhua/NAN)
