Oil Tanker Burns Off Sochi Coast, Covering City in Black Smoke

A fire has broken out aboard an oil tanker off the coast of Sochi, a Russian city on the Black Sea, according to witness accounts and footage shared on social media. Residents said flames and smoke were visible along the entire coastline, while thick black smoke spread over the city's central area.

The social media page ChP Sochi reported that the vessel was located in international waters and may have come under attack from naval drones. Regional authorities have not yet issued any statement on the incident, and the cause of the fire remains unknown.

The Telegram channel Mash reported that the burning tanker had been carrying oil from the Russian port of Novorossiysk to India, identifying it as the Liberian-flagged vessel Aframax Rio. The outlet Astra provided the same identification, adding that while the tanker does not appear on EU or allied sanctions lists, it is listed by Ukraine as part of Russia's so-called "shadow fleet" of vessels used to circumvent oil export restrictions.

Shortly after the fire was reported, Dmitry Plishkin, head of the administration of Russia's Sirius federal territory, announced that local beaches would be temporarily closed because of the incident. He urged residents to limit time spent outdoors and keep windows closed where possible. Plishkin said that air and water quality were being continuously monitored in cooperation with Russia's hydrometeorological agency, Roshydromet.

No casualties or further details about the vessel's crew have been reported so far.