Turkey warns of escalation after third Black Sea tanker attack
What's the story
Turkey's maritime affairs directorate has reported a third attack on a commercial tanker in the Black Sea. The latest incident involved the Midvolga 2, a Russian tanker carrying sunflower oil, which was attacked while heading toward Turkey's Sinop port. The attack took place about 80 nautical miles off Turkey's coast in the central Black Sea region.
Crew safety
All crew members safe, ship continues journey
Despite the attack, all 13 crew members on board the Midvolga 2 are safe, and the ship has not sought assistance. The vessel is continuing its journey toward Turkey's Sinop port. This incident comes after two similar attacks on Friday when commercial vessels were struck by explosions off Turkey's coast. A Ukrainian security source had claimed responsibility for those attacks, stating that drones targeted ships "covertly transporting Russian oil."
Presidential response
Erdogan condemns attacks as 'worrying escalation'
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned these attacks as a "worrying escalation." He emphasized that Turkey "cannot under any circumstances accept these attacks, which threaten the safety of navigation, the environment and lives in our exclusive economic zone." Erdogan added that the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine now threatens navigational safety in the Black Sea.
Insurance impact
War risk insurance premiums surge after attacks
The recent Ukrainian drone attacks on tankers have led to a steep rise in war risk insurance premiums for commercial shipping across the Black Sea. Industry sources told Reuters that underwriters are re-evaluating the increasing risk profile, leading to higher costs for cover. For vessels calling at Ukrainian ports, war risk rates have risen to around 0.5% of the ship's value from about 0.4% earlier.
Future warnings
Erdogan warns against future attacks on Turkish waters
Erdogan has warned that any future attacks on vessels near Turkey's waters will not be tolerated. He said, "The war between Russia and Ukraine has clearly begun to threaten navigational safety in the Black Sea." The targeting of vessels in Turkey's Exclusive Economic Zone signals a worrying escalation, he added.