Gambian-flagged tanker Kairos catches fire in Black Sea off Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A Gambian-flagged tanker caught fire in the Black Sea off Turkey’s coast on Friday, Turkey’s maritime authority said. All 25 crew members were confirmed safe.

The Kairos was sailing empty toward Russia’s Novorossiysk port, the Directorate General of Maritime Affairs said on X, adding that it caught fire approximately 28 miles (45 kilometers) from the Turkish coast.

The maritime authority blamed the fire on “an external impact,” without providing details.

Rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the area to evacuate the sailors, it said.