08 January 2026
(Russian tanker Elbus. PHOTO: marinetraffic.com)
In the Black Sea near the Turkish coast, the oil tanker Elbus was attacked by an unmanned aerial vehicle. The vessel, which was flying the Palauan flag, sustained structural damage, but the crew remained unharmed. The operation to transport the damaged tanker to the nearest port is currently underway, where a detailed technical examination is planned to be carried out and all the circumstances of the incident will be clarified.
According to Ortadogu, the incident occurred on the high seas at a distance of about 30 nautical miles (approximately 55.6 km) from the Abana area in the province of Kastamon.
According to the sources, the drone struck the top of the vessel while it was underway, while the tanker was in the open sea. After discovering the damage, the crew sent a distress call, to which the Turkish Coast Guard responded promptly.
The maritime authorities organized an escort for the tanker to minimize possible risks and ensure safety, as well as to investigate the incident.
"The damaged tanker is being towed to the port of Inebolu, where a detailed technical inspection will be carried out and the necessary safety measures will be taken. After that, experts will determine the source of the attack and the extent of the damage," the statement said.
According to preliminary data, the Elbus tanker retained its buoyancy and no human casualties were reported. Officials have not yet said who was behind the attack. In connection with the incident, the maritime services of the region have switched to enhanced security monitoring.
According to Focus, OSINTers tracked the Elbus on the Marine Traffic monitoring portal. The tanker was heading to Novorossiysk close to the coast of Turkey, and now it is at the approximate point 41.97101, 34.57699, 47 km (in a straight line) from Sinop and 400 km from Novorossiysk.
The Elbus tanker measures 274 by 50 meters and, as of 2025, is flying the flag of Palau. Previously, the vessel was named EUROLEADER (US flag), UNITED LEADERSHIP (Marshall Islands), and SCF ALDAN (USA). Its identification number is IMO 9290385.
Under this number, the tanker is included in the EU sanctions lists due to its participation in schemes with Russian oil. In particular, the EU documents state that the PAGOS tanker (IMO 9296406), carrying Urals oil from Novorossiysk, transferred it to the EUROLEADER (IMO 9290385) off the coast of Greece, which then delivered the cargo to India.
Ukrainian security services have not yet commented on the drone attack on the Elbus tanker, which was damaged in the Black Sea while en route to Novorossiysk.
Also, a court in Odesa arrested a Comoros-flagged vessel in the port of Chornomorsk for delaying the delivery of cargo. The charterers claim that they suffered losses of more than $67,000 due to the vessel's delay.
Анна Бальчінос